Novak Djokovic completes Golden Slam in Paris | ATP Tour

Paris Olympics

Djokovic completes Golden Slam in Paris

The Serbian won the gold medal after beating Alcaraz in the final

August 04, 2024

The Olympic gold medal was the only major title missing from his trophy cabinet, but on Sunday Novak Djokovic was able to add it to his collection at the Paris 2024 Games.

The Serbian completed the ‘Golden Slam’ on the clay of the Philippe Chatrier, after beating the reigning Roland Garros champion, Carlos Alcaraz, in the Olympic final by 7-6(3), 7-6(2), in two hours and 50 minutes.

“We played for almost three hours for two sets. It was an incredible battle, an incredible fight,” said Djokovic, who was thoroughly outplayed by Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final last month. “When my last shot got past him, it was the only time I thought I could win the match. I thought I could win, but to actually win is different, he always has an answer. He keeps demanding me to play my best tennis.”

“I don’t know what to say. I’m still in shock. Honestly, I’ve given my heart, my soul, my body and my family everything to win an Olympic gold medal at 37 years old. I’ve finally done it.”

Djokovic, who had already secured his best performance in five Olympic appearances, added Olympic gold to his four Grand Slam titles to achieve something only four players had previously accomplished: Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.

𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗗 𝗦𝗨𝗘𝗑𝗢 𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗗

🇷🇸 @DjokerNole achieves his first Olympic 🥇 in his fifth participation in the Games.

🖐️ Only five players in history have completed the 𝘎𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘭𝘢𝘮.#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/mKgRByHamW

— ATP Tour in Spanish (@ATPTour_ES) August 4, 2024

“Everything [sobre este logro es especial]”But above all is my country,” Djokovic said. “Playing for Serbia fills me with pride. I know that Carlos and Rafa [Nadal] They love playing for Spain. Andy [Murray] loved representing Great Britain. Roger [Federer] “I was doing it for Switzerland. Alex Zverev won in Tokyo for Germany. You just have to see the reactions of all of them when they won. It’s something special.”

The No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings had been pursuing his goal for three Olympic editions. He had his first opportunity at Rio 2016, but was eliminated in the first round by Juan Martín del Potro. In Tokyo 2020 he was unable to win a medal, losing in the semi-finals to Alexander Zverev and Pablo Carreño Busta in the fight for bronze.

In fact, his only medal came from his first appearance in Beijing 2008, where he won bronze. A medal that also eluded him in London 2012 against Del Potro (lost in SF to Andy Murray). The end of the drought ended in Paris 2024, at 37 years of age, becoming the oldest Olympic gold medalist in tennis since Seoul 1988.

To do so, he had to overcome an opponent who, just a few weeks ago, in the title match at Wimbledon, had given him virtually no chance. The Lexus ATP Head2Head, tied 3-3 before the Olympic final, promised to be a close match, which was resolved in an epic and hard-fought first set lasting one hour and 34 minutes.

They left everything on the court. The Spaniard, who was the youngest Olympic finalist in history at 21 years and 91 days, showed his audacity on the serve, but was unable to take advantage of any of the eight break opportunities he had before reaching the tie-break. And he ended up paying for leaving Djokovic alive, who was able to recover and win the tie-break (7-3).

The great effort of the opening set took its toll on Alcaraz’s mental level, but he was able to resist a break point from the Serbian in the third game to keep his serve. The Murcia native, who had won 12 games in a row on the French clay, tried everything to extend the match.

Once again in the second set he put pressure on the Serb on return, taking him to deuce in the eighth game, but Djokovic found a way to escape unscathed from any threat from the Spaniard. Both players held their serve and, once again, the tie-break was the format that decided the set.

Djokovic was once again decisive in the tie-break and thus achieved the first Olympic gold medal for his country in tennis, becoming the only player to collect a medal for Serbia at the Games.

“It’s painful to lose this match like this,” said Alcaraz, the youngest man to contest a singles final since the Olympic tennis event returned in 1988. “I’ve had my chances, I haven’t been able to take advantage of them. Novak is playing at a great level, he has stuck to his game and in the difficult moments he has raised the level. He has played at an incredible level.”

“I’m disappointed, but I can leave the court with my head held high. I gave everything I had fighting for Spain. It was everything to me and I’m proud of the way I played today.”

Did you know…?
Novak Djokovic had never beaten a top-five player at the Olympics. The Serbian had lost his three previous meetings to Rafael Nadal in the 2008 Beijing semifinals, No. 4 Andy Murray in the 2012 London semifinals and No. 5 Alexander Zverev in the 2020 Tokyo semifinals.