On last Sunday, August 4, Novak Djokovic, all-time men’s Grand Slam singles titles leader with 24 majors, won his first Olympic gold medal at the Paris 2024 games. He defeated the reigning Wimbledon champion, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, in the men’s singles final, thereby completing the career Golden Slam.
Djokovic’s journey at Roland-Garros, which commenced on July 27, began with a dominant 6-0, 6-1 victory over Australian player Matthew Ebden. In the second round, he faced Rafael Nadal, the "King of Clay," with whom Djokovic shares a historic rivalry. Djokovic successfully overcame Nadal with a 6-1, 6-4 win. In the third round, he further competed against German player Dominik Koepfer and won 7-5, 6-3.
In the men's singles quarter-final, Djokovic matched against Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece. He won the match 6-3, 7-6 (3), and rose up to the semi-final where he challenged Lorenzo Musetti of Italy. He emerged victorious with a 6-4, 6-2 finish and guaranteed an Olympic medal.
Djokovic's final opponent in his undefeated run at the Paris Games was the young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who had been in exceptional form throughout the season. The match was a rematch of their recent Wimbledon final, which Djokovic had lost to Alcaraz earlier in the summer.
“I don’t consider myself a favorite on Sunday because Alcaraz has proven [he is] the best player in the world at the moment. He won Roland Garros, he won Wimbledon, beat me in the finals quite comfortable there, reached the finals [here] without dropping a set. I mean I did too but I think the way he is playing, he’s definitely a favorite,” said Djokovic about his opponent in an interview. “But it’s Olympics, it’s really anybody’s game I think,” he added.
“I feel like I’m a different player than I was in Wimbledon, the way I move, the way I’m striking the ball. Not to take anything away from his [Alcaraz] win in Wimbledon finals, he was dominating and deservedly a winner, but I feel more confident about myself and my chances in the finals,” Djokovic reflected before his final match on Sunday with Alcaraz.
In his four previous Olympic appearances, Djokovic had secured a singles bronze medal in Beijing 2008, finished fourth in London 2012, exited in the early rounds at Rio 2016, and lost the bronze-medal match in Tokyo 2021. After losing to Alcaraz three weeks before the Olympic final, he naturally had his doubts. “Absolutely I had doubts but the belief and the conviction that I can make it is stronger than my doubts,” he remarked. “I have to deal with that, I have to try to silence all the noise around me and focus on what needs to be done on the court. And that’s the biggest battle to win.”
The match lasted almost three hours at the Roland Garros’ Philippe-Chatrier Court. The atmosphere was stunning, the tension at the court was high. While the Spanish crowd were waving their flags passionately with pride, Serbian fans were supporting their “Nole” by carrying Serbian flags. Djokovic’s family watched him from the stands and his daughter Tara held up a sign that read “Tata je najbolji” (Dad is the best) throughout the match.
Both players pushed each other to their limits and they frequently left laughing seeing the quality of the other’s shot-making. The entire match was played with spirit demonstrating the art of tennis, but it was also a reflection of Djokovic’s determination and discipline. Less than a month before Wimbledon, Djokovic sustained a torn meniscus in his right knee at the French Open and underwent surgery. Despite a challenging season and expressing that he wasn’t at his best during Wimbledon, he demonstrated his resilient mentality at the Olympics by not dropping a single set throughout the competition.
During the first set, Djokovic was on the back foot but he simply did not give up. He saved all eight breakpoints, reinforcing his reputation as a defensive master. However, the match was far from easy, as his opponent was the formidable Carlos Alcaraz, presumably his successor with a menacing success. After winning the first-set tiebreaker, Djokovic approached the rest of the match with heightened confidence.
In a skillful head-to-head battle, Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) with a decisive final forehand that secured his long-sought Olympic gold medal. Overcome with emotion, Djokovic immediately turned to his support team with a delight on his face before dropping his racket. He then extended congratulations to Alcaraz, embraced him, and, overwhelmed by the significance of the moment, fell to his knees in tears. After celebrating with his family and supporters, Djokovic held his daughter close, visibly moved by the triumph.
“Everything that I felt in that moment when I won really surpassed everything I thought or hoped that it would. I thought that carrying the flag at the opening ceremony was the best feeling ever until I experienced this today,” the Serb reflected on his emotions and long-awaited victory. “And being on that court with the Serbian flag raising, singing the Serbian anthem, with the gold around my neck, I think nothing can beat that in terms of professional sport. It definitely stands out as the biggest sporting achievement I had,” he added.
Djokovic has backed his ruthless 21-year-old rival on social media, “Another epic final. El clasico. Congratulations to you and your team for an excellent Olympics. Considering your age, your energy and the way you play, you probably have 20 more Olympics ahead of you. Your gold will come. Until next time, amigo.”
With his victory in the Olympics, Djokovic has achieved the career Grand Slam and completed the Golden Slam, joining an elite group that includes Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams. Djokovic is now the fifth player to have won all four Grand Slam tournaments—the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open—along with an Olympic gold medal. He has 10 Australian Open, 3 French Open, 7 Wimbledon and 4 U.S. Open titles in total. When he was asked if he has “completed” tennis, Djokovic said, “Yes it’s complete because I completed all the achievements with this gold medal but no because I love this sport. I don’t play only to win the tournaments.”
As the 2024 Paris Olympics marked a sentimental farewell to Rafael Nadal's Olympic career, many speculated that it might also be the veteran's last Olympic appearance given his advancing age. However, the 37-year-old Djokovic expressed his intention to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “I still want to play in Los Angeles,” he stated. “I enjoy playing for my country and the Olympic Games particularly and Davis Cup, being part of the team.”
After his victorious Olympic journey, Djokovic is not returning for the ATP Tour at the Canadian Open but he will be preparing for the U.S. Open where he might get the chance to win his 25th Grand Slam tournament and maintain his outstanding leading for the most of all-time.
Djokovic has delivered yet another memorable performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, further solidifying his legacy. His ongoing success continues to inspire young athletes to adopt a "Nole" mindset—one that embraces resilience and strives for greater achievements.