Novak Djokovic makes ‘biggest success’ admission after winning Olympic gold
Novak Djokovic has now won everything there is to win in tennis and he admits his latest achievement – winning gold for his country at the Paris Games to complete the career Golden Slam – might just top the list.
The tennis great defeated Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2) in the finale at Roland Garros to join Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams as the only players to win the four Grand Slams and Olympic gold.
Having already completed career Grand Slams (winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open) three times, Djokovic had made no secret of the fact that winning gold for Serbia at the Olympics was No 1 on his list of goals.
In 2016 he lost in the first round of the Rio Games and at the 2020 Tokyo Games he lost in the semi-final.
After beating Lorenzo Musetti in the semi-final of the Paris Games, Djokovic reached his first-ever Olympic gold medal match as his previous best was a third-place at the 2008 Beijing Games.
And on Sunday he realised his dream with victory over Alcaraz and, although he had achieved a lot during his illustrious career – including winning a record 24 Grand Slams and setting a new record for most weeks at No 1 in the ATP Rankings – he described it as “arguably the biggest success I had”.
“I’m overwhelmed with everything I’m feeling right now,” he said. “Feeling different emotions. Too proud. Too happy. Thrilled with the possibility to win a gold for the first time in my career for my country. Arguably the biggest success I had.
“I won probably everything there is to win in my individual career. Winning the Davis Cup and particularly a golden medal at age 37 for Serbia is unprecedented. I’m just starting my celebration. I can’t wait for what’s coming up in the next 48 hours.
“I’m super grateful for the blessing to win a historic gold medal for my country. To complete the [career] Golden Slam. To complete all the records.”
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Djokovic and Alcaraz slugged it out for nearly three hours and he became the first man to win the Olympics without dropping a set while he is also the oldest Olympic gold medallist aged 37 years and 74 days.
“It was an incredible fight and I had to play my best tennis,” the Serbian said.
“It was fair that the two sets finished in tiebreaks. I put my heart, my soul, everything to win gold.
“I did it for my country first, for Serbia.”
