Novak Djokovic reflected on his triumphant performance at the Paris Olympics 2024, where he clinched his first-ever gold medal. Despite a surprising early exit at the US Open 2024 in New York, Djokovic concludes the year on a high note with his Olympic victory in Paris. Previously, he faced defeats against Rafael Nadal in the Beijing 2008 semi-finals, Andy Murray in the London 2012 semi-finals, Juan Martin del Potro in Rio 2016, and Alexander Zverev in Tokyo 2020.
Novak Djokovic proudly displays his Olympic gold medal.(REUTERS)
In an interview with RTS, Djokovic shared, “The main reason for this achievement is the honor of representing Serbia in the world’s most significant sporting event. My Olympic journey has been challenging, with defeats to Nadal in the Beijing semi-final, and more losses in subsequent semi-finals and bronze medal matches. These were among the toughest defeats of my career.”
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He continued, “The Olympics occur only once every four years. I entered this edition without a title this season, following knee surgery at 37 years old. I managed to defeat an opponent who had recently bested me at Wimbledon, making this victory incredibly special. This is the greatest emotion of my career, and it is difficult to put into words.”
“My primary goal was the Olympics. After the knee injury at Roland Garros, I was very concerned, but reaching the Wimbledon final reassured me that I would be ready for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Tennis may not be the quintessential Olympic sport compared to others, but I have always followed the Olympics, particularly our Serbian athletes. Their significance truly resonated with me after my first participation. This experience will stay with me forever,” he added.
At the US Open, Djokovic faced a defeat against Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in the third round, with scores of 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4. This marked Djokovic’s earliest Grand Slam exit since the 2017 Australian Open.
