Novak Djokovic has so much heart.
It had been one of Novak Djokovic’s biggest goals for a while. He finally achieved it after one of the tougher years of his career.
On Sunday, the Serbian tennis star defeated Spain’s next-in-line, face-of-the-game Carlos Alcaraz, in Paris for the first Olympic gold medal of his career. Having achieved everything else on his legendary resume, winning gold in tennis singles for Serbia was Djokovic’s last real tally to say he had done everything.
That’s right, folks. Djokovic can also finally say he has managed the career Golden Slam — winning every major Grand Slam and Olympic gold.
And it’s no small thing that he was able to beat the person who humiliated him at Wimbledon only a few weeks earlier.
A lifelong dream realized.
Novak Djokovic is overcome by emotion after winning his first Olympic gold medal. #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/g7GI6cxmYa
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 4, 2024
Look at the sheer unfiltered joy on that man’s face. That is an impeccably wealthy and successful person who has one of the most secure legacies in sports, and he’s still celebrating capturing gold like it’s the best thing he’s ever done.
Winning gold for your country just means that much.
Novak Djokovic hugs his daughter after winning his first gold medal at the Olympics.
You can feel the emotion.
pic.twitter.com/OhaaIl7MuE
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 4, 2024
It probably means even more for Djokovic after his recent knee injuries, relative struggles on the court, and advanced age for an elite player. At 37, he is officially the oldest tennis gold medalist in almost 40 years.
Djokovic fought so much to be healthy in Paris, then beat a world phenom in Alcaraz, who humbled him the last time they matched up. This was a tennis great overcoming a genuine bout of adversity to climb the last summit he needed on his career’s bucket list.
You can’t write a movie script better than that.
