In arguably the best match of the year, Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 Paris Olympic final.
Djokovic earned a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) straight-set victory over Alcaraz on Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros. The incredible effort from the former delivered Serbia a gold medal in the men’s tennis single tournament.
After losing to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon finale less than a month ago, Djokovic avenged himself spectacularly at the Summer Games.
Head-to-head matchups with Alcaraz aside, Djokovic winning gold is a substantial career accomplishment with tremendous ramifications. Below, we’ll outline the historical significance of this outcome while highlighting some of the best social media reactions.
Has Novak Djokovic ever won a gold medal?
Entering Sunday’s contest against Alcaraz, winning gold was the one feat Djokovic has yet to achieve in his illustrious career. However, that’s no longer the case, and you can tell how much it meant to the Serbian.
As you can see, Djokovic was literally shaking after beating Alcaraz. He played like his life depended on it, illustrated by his post-match reaction.
By securing his first gold medal, Djokovic enters an elite company of players to accomplish a career golden slam.
What is a Golden Slam?
A Golden Slam is when someone wins all four Grand Slam (Wimbledon, US Open, French Open, Australian Open) tournaments and attains gold in Olympic singles.
Winning gold was the last major title Djokovic needed to complete the Golden Slam. Now, he’s the fifth player in history to do it — joining Steffi Graff, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.
Djokovic is now the elder statesman of his sport, though his game has aged gracefully, proving that age is merely a number. At 37, he becomes the oldest Olympic gold medalist at the global tennis event since 1988, per the International Tennis Federation.
What makes Djokovic’s triumph even more remarkable is that he had knee surgery to repair his torn right meniscus on June 5. Against all odds, the 24-time Grand Slam champion overpowered Alcaraz in the extraordinary match. Both players competed at the highest level, as we’ve become accustomed to seeing whenever they meet.
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