Novak Djokovic, hailed as one of the greatest who has ever graced the sport with a jaw-dropping 24 Grand Slam titles, has yet to capture the elusive Olympic Gold. This statistic may come as shocking to many given his prolonged dominance in the sport. The Serb, who has conquered every other peak, every other challenge the sport has thrown at him, finds himself with one glaring omission on his otherwise flawless résumé.
Novak Djokovic at the Olympics
Djokovic made his Olympic debut in 2008 at the Beijing Games. He was drawn for both singles and doubles, partnering with Nenad Zimonjić, the pair rising as the No.2 seed of the tournament. However, their run fell awfully short after being taken out in the first round by the Czech pairing of Martin Damm and Pavel Vízner. For singles, he was seeded third and made a much deeper run. He reached the semifinals where he faced Rafael Nadal. Nadal covered the entire court, aggressive and lightning-fast, forcing Djokovic to make errors. Nadal defeated Djokovic 6-4 1-6 6-4 and went on to grab Gold.
Djokovic then faced American James Blake for Bronze, who he took down in straight sets 6-3 7-6(4). When he clinched the tiebreaker, an ecstatic Djokovic ripped off his shirt and hurled it into the cheering crowd, followed by two rackets. He momentarily considered tossing his bag before stopping. Instead, he took a Serbian flag from a fan and waved it proudly as he jogged around the court. An Olympic medal in his debut, the first Olympic medal for Serbia for tennis!
It was a promising start for the young Serb but subsequent appearances at London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 would see him fall short of the podium.
In London, he was the flag bearer of the Olympics, a great honor for any athlete. However, he finished his run just outside the Top 3. In the semifinals, he faced Andy Murray. During the first set, momentum fell back and forth but a cross-court forehand secured the set for the Scot. The serves were sharp, winners clean and powerful, grit on both sides of the court. Djokovic, was, however, unable to convert break points and netted forehands. The second set was sealed when the Serb failed to pick up a return to his feet, handing Andy Murray a ticket to the finals, which he took to sail and win Gold. This time, however, in the Bronze medal match, he lost to Juan Martín del Potro.
In Rio, he once again faced Del Potro in the first round. The match lasted two and a half hours and was an incredible battle. The Argentine was strong, taking the early edge, smashing forehands to take the opener. The baseline rallies were invigorating, Del Potro hitting 21 winners, his prowess and precision hard to defeat. A final cross-court final sealed the second set 7-6(4) 7-6(2). The Serb was left in tears, the players sharing an embrace at the net.
Djokovic said, “No doubt this is one of the toughest losses in my life and in my career. It’s not easy to handle, especially now, just after the wounds are still fresh. But, you know, you have to deal with it. It’s not the first or the last time I am losing a tennis match. But the Olympic Games, yeah, it’s completely different.”
In Tokyo, Djokovic once again walked away without a medal. A singles semifinal loss to Alexander Zverev, and the Bronze Medal was denied by Pablo Carreno Busta.
“I believe there is no coincidence in life, everything happens for a reason,” he said. “I had some heartbreaking losses at Olympic Games and some big tournaments in my career, and I know that those losses have usually made me stronger,” said Djokovic.
The tide did not turn for his mixed doubles event, losing the semifinals to Aslan Karatsev and Elena Vesnina, and a shoulder injury for Djokovic forcing him to withdraw from the Bronze Medal match.
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Australian Open, he was taken out by eventual winner Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, in a match which he calls “I guess this is one of the worst Grand Slam matches I’ve ever played. At least that I remember. Not a very pleasant feeling playing this way,” said Djokovic.His momentum was perhaps a little shaken as he was taken out in the Round of 32 by lucky loser Luca Nardi at Indian Wells. His clay court season began in Monte Carlo where he faced Casper Ruud. His game was rough, unusually lacking precision. The Norwegian took the match 6-4 1-6 6-4 to advance to the finals. Djokovic said, “Not having a title is, compared to the last 15 years, not a great season at all.”
His clay court season showed some improvement but definitely not to the level we’ve witnessed the grand slam champion at. Amidst a bottle falling on his head, and an injury, his season could use with a bit more luck, a bit more momentum.
At the French Open, at the Roland Garros courts where he’ll be playing in the Olympic Games, he was forced to withdraw after an intense five-set match against Francisco Cerúndolo. He grit his teeth throughout that match, taking the necessary breaks and medications, but came back with full force to take the fourth round match 6-1 5-7 3-6 7-5 6-3. He announced that he had torn his medial meniscus on his right knee and would undergo surgery.
Just three weeks later, he was found at the All-England Club, set to compete in the Wimbledon Championships, and there aren’t many players who would reach the finals of said tournament shortly after surgery. His attempts to win his eighth title were crushed in straight sets by a dominant Carlos Alcaraz.
Can he take Gold?
Novak Djokovic may not have had the best or cleanest clay court season but he is not one to underestimate. The Serb has won time and time again when the odds were stacked up, his mentality one of great fortitude, his determination unshaken. While his recent form might suggest otherwise, his track record is attestation to his resilience. And it’s not a far reach–-after all, he has won the French Open three times. As the Paris Olympics approach, and he gears up in red, white and blue, this might just be the one where he conquers that final peak.
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
