‘The greatest success of my career’: Djokovic completes golden slam, eyes LA Olympics
Novak Djokovic has conquered the final frontier, winning the gold medal he so desperately coveted to achieve what only two other men in the world have ever accomplished.
The 37-year-old solidified his place as the greatest of all time, winding back the clock to overcome Spanish whiz-kid and Wimbledon nemesis Carlos Alcaraz in what he described as the greatest accomplishment of his decorated career.
Djokovic, already a 24-time grand slam champion, became the third male player, joining only Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal, to secure a career golden slam by winning all four majors and an Olympics gold medal.
The emotional Serbian burst into tears the moment his match-winning forehand eluded Alcaraz’s racquet in the second set tie-break, describing the 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2) victory as the greatest of a long list of incredible achievements in his career.
“I thought in 2012, carrying the flag of my country in the opening ceremony in the London Olympic Games was the best feeling an athlete could have – until today,” Djokovic, with the Serbian flag and gold medal draped around his neck, said in the press conference.
“This supersedes everything that I imagined and hoped I could experience and feel. The fact I won the bronze in my first Olympic Games [Beijing 2008] and ever since then failed to win a medal despite playing in three semi-finals. I couldn’t overcome that obstacle.
“Then, now, at age 37 [beating] a 21-year-old that is probably the best player in the world right now winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon back to back and playing incredible tennis. When I take everything into consideration, this is probably the biggest sporting success I’ve had in my career.”
At an Olympic Games that has been shrouded in controversy since the opening ceremony – when drag queens parodied Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper in a scene French bishops said made a “mockery of Christianity” – Djokovic has been registering his own silent protest for the duration of the tournament, dangling his crucifix necklace on the outside of his shirt during interviews.
In the final, he walked on to court doing the sign of the cross and then, with the gold medal dangling from his neck and hundreds of photographers jostling for the best position, he looked to the skies, pointed and yelled, “Glory to God”.
Djokovic celebrates his gold medal in Paris.Credit: Getty Images
“I was expressing my gratitude to the almighty superior who gave me the faith and opportunity to be where I am,” he said afterwards.
The emotions had clearly got the better of the world No.2 as he embraced his family and entourage after arguably his best performance in a year.
“The intensity of that moment is something I’ve never felt before,” he said.
Djokovic’s previous best result in his four previous Olympic campaigns was a bronze medal. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, he lost the bronze medal match to Spain’s Pablo Busta Carreno after surrendering his chance to play for gold in his semi-final defeat to Germany’s Alexander Zverev.
In Rio de Janeiro in 2016 he suffered a shock first-round loss to Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro, who had also beaten him in the bronze-medal match in London four years earlier.
In 2008 in Beijing, he also claimed a bronze medal after beating America’s James Blake following his semi-final loss to Rafael Nadal.
The disappointing record made his win at Roland Garros all the more special, especially as this seemed to be his final shot at Olympic glory. At least that’s what we thought.
Novak Djokovic was emotional after the win.Credit: Getty Images
“I want to play in Los Angeles,” Djokovic said of the 2028 Olympic Games, at which he will be 41 years old.
One of the members of his entourage, who was watching on from the exit door during the press conference, laughed and left the room, bringing a halt to questions. Djokovic then turned to the confused journalists.
“He’s making fun of my calendar goals, playing in Los Angeles,” he said. “I don’t know if he’s laughing because he thinks it’s unrealistic or he’s thinking ‘I’ve got another four years with this guy’.”
Given the level of tennis he is still capable of, it would be brave person who bet against the seemingly ageless Serb.
He came into the match with the scars of Wimbledon fresh in his mind after a straight-sets loss to Alcaraz just a month ago, surrendering the crown at the All England Club to the Spaniard for the second consecutive year.
His body, however, didn’t feel the way it felt coming into this tournament. He was no longer suffering the effects of a knee injury that saw him withdraw before the quarter-finals of the French Open and hampered him at Wimbledon.
The Spaniard, as was the case in London a month ago, played some audacious tennis in the opening set but failed to convert eight break points, including four in one Djokovic service game, opening the door for Djokovic to claim the first set in a tie-breaker (7-3).
Djokovic embraces Alcaraz after the two-set victory at Roland Garros.Credit: Getty Images
The second set followed the same trajectory, with the pair having to be separated again by a tie-breaker. Djokovic played one of the shots of the tournament with a sublime cross-court forehand that prevented Alcaraz gaining a mini-break and turned the momentum in his favour.
The veteran used the crowd to his advantage and shut the youngster out of the contest to get his hands on his first gold medal.
“I hear many, many times that Novak wanted to win the gold medal,” Alcaraz said. “In the close moments, the difficult situations and the tie-breaks, he played an impressive game. He was so hungry for the gold medal and that’s what I saw in him. He really wanted that medal and he was better in those situations and deserved to get the win.”
Carlos Alcaraz was in sublime touch but couldn’t nail the big moments in the tie-break.Credit: Getty Images
Alcaraz was reduced to tears after the match but upon reflection said he had nothing to be ashamed of.
“I felt I let all the Spanish people down a little bit in some way,” Alcaraz said. “I know there are Spanish people wanting me to win the gold medal, myself as well, but I couldn’t get it. That’s why I got emotional at the end.
“I couldn’t make the Spanish people proud. It was so close, I couldn’t think clearly, that’s why I was emotional. But now I’m more relaxed I think I made them proud and I’m proud of the way I represented my flag.”
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