Having won every possible trophy of note across his star-studded tennis career, Novak Djokovic only had a gold-medal-shaped hole left to fill in his glittering silverware cabinet, and in Paris, the Serbian successfully completed this feat. The 37-year-old went into the Olympic final with Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz as the underdog, not least because he was thumped by the same player in the Wimbledon Final just a few months ago, but the veteran completed a 7-6, 7-6 victory to take the title.
Djokovic then took the sporting decision to offer his substantial prize money, derived from Serbia’s government-funded pool for medal winners, to a worthy cause, which is perhaps unsurprising given just how much the 24-time Grand Slam title winner has earned over the years.
Did not drop a set
Among those Djokovic defeated en route to the gold medal was Spanish star Rafa Nadal, who he defeated 6-1, 6-4 in the Second Round; indeed, he didn’t drop a set in the entire tournament, and the win clearly meant a lot to him.
“I couldn’t be prouder and happier,”
“Playing for Serbia has always been my utmost, real pleasure, my priority … I’m just so proud to be a part of an elite number of athletes that managed to win gold for their countries in their respective sports,” Djokovic added.
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His title at the Olympics was Djokovic’s 99th, and winning at Flushing Meadow could bring up his century and would also see him rack up a 25th Grand Slam to make him the all-time singles record in that department.
Milestones
Asked about these milestones after beating Alcaraz in Paris, Djokovic responded,
“I don’t know about the future, I really want to be in the present moment to celebrate. It was a long journey, many, many years of dreaming to be holding the gold medal. So now it’s about happiness, joy and celebration.”
The men’s record for most all-time titles currently stands at 109, set by the great Jimmy Connors, and that’s a target that will take some beating. However, he is just four behind Roger Federer and that may be a more likely number to set his sights on.
With a view to sharpen his game and get some much-needed rest, Djokovic has pulled out of the Cincinnati Open, which the tournament used by many players as a good hard-court test prior to the US Open. The US Open starts in New York on August 26th, with the draw being made on August 22nd.
Djokovic won his fourth US Open title in 2023, defeating Daniil Medvedev in straight sets, having lost to the same player in the 2021 final. His other three triumphs in the flagship event came in 2011 against Rafa Nadal, in 2015 against Roger Federer and in 2018 against Juan Martin del Potro.
