LESS than two hours after losing the Wimbledon final, Novak Djokovic has laser-focused on the rest of the season.
Djokovic, 37, had just been beaten by Carlos Alcaraz 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (4), his dream of a record-breaking 25th title on hold. But it was clear he was trying to move on quickly as he spoke to reporters at a press conference later in the evening.
“Yes, the Olympics and the US Open are two big goals for the rest of the year for me,” Djokovic said. “I hope to be at my best (for) both tournaments. That’s all I can say right now.”
Djokovic’s answer should come as no surprise given his almost unparalleled career and that he is the defending US Open champion. But he has never been successful in the Olympics. He entered his fifth Olympics with just one medal – a single bronze in 2008.
So now, two weeks after his disappointing finish at Wimbledon, Djokovic returns to Paris for what could be his last Games, with his eyes focused on the one thing that has eluded him throughout his career: Olympic gold.
Djokovic opened his play at Roland Garros on Saturday with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Matthew Ebden. Next he will play Rafael Nadal or Marton Fucsovics in the second round in hopes of getting closer to his dream.
“(It’s very special to be) part of the oldest sporting event in the history of sports,” Djokovic told the International Tennis Federation in May. “Of course winning a gold medal or winning any medal for my country is a big wish and desire. It is one of the biggest priorities and goals for (this) season, there is no secret about it.”
THERE’S ANOTHER Djokovic has yet to achieve success in tennis.
Since turning professional in 2003, Djokovic has won the Australian Open 10 times (the most by any player in the Open era), and is a seven-time Wimbledon champion, a four-time US Open champion and a three-time French Open champion. She is tied with Margaret Court for the most singles titles in the history of the sport, and the most in the Open era.
Djokovic has won 98 career singles titles (and one in doubles) and has held the No. 1 world for a combined 428 weeks – another record. Djokovic even led Serbia to its first and only Davis Cup title in Belgrade in 2010, something he later called “the best feeling I’ve ever had as a tennis player.”
But while he always talks about how important it is for him to be able to represent his country and how much he enjoys the experience at the Olympics, he just can’t translate his typical dominance to the sport’s biggest stage.
At his Olympic debut in 2008 in Beijing, Djokovic was seeded 3rd, behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Playing in a best-of-three-sets format — a marked difference from the best-of-five sets used by men at Grand Slams — Djokovic played to a draw until Nadal, the gold medalist, defeated him in the semifinals 6-4, 1 -6, 6-4. In the bronze medal match, Djokovic defeated James Blake 6-3, 7-6 (4). Djokovic, who had won his first major title of the season in Melbourne, could not hide his excitement after the match.
“(I’m) very happy. I mean, winning any medal at the Olympics is a big achievement for an athlete I think,” Djokovic said. “Not many athletes get medals. But for me, this bronze, which I won here, looks like gold because I have played good tennis in all the tournaments.”
Djokovic also played doubles alongside Nenad Zimonjic, but the pair lost in the first round.
In 2012, Djokovic, then a five-time Slam champion, was named Serbia’s flag bearer for the opening ceremony. He described it as an “out-of-body experience” and “a sense of happiness and responsibility and honor.” The competition was held at Wimbledon, where he had won the title the previous year, but Djokovic lost to gold medalist Andy Murray in the semi-finals. In the bronze medal match, he lost to Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets. Djokovic lost again in the first round of doubles, this time to Viktor Troicki.
Four years later on the hard court in Rio, Djokovic was the top seed (and now a 12-time major champion) but was stunned by Del Potro in the first round. Djokovic and Zimonjic lost in the second round of the doubles.
But none of the losses are more severe than in 2021. Competing in the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games, Djokovic arrives after winning all three Slams this year. She attempted to join Steffi Graf in 1988 as the only tennis player in history to achieve the “Golden Slam” – all four major titles and the Olympic singles gold in the same season.
But in the semifinals — again — Djokovic had his dreams dashed by eventual gold medalist Alexander Zverev. He easily took the first set 6-1 but then won just four games in the last two sets. Things took a turn for the worse in the bronze medal match against Pablo Carreno Busta as Djokovic struggled to control his temper, misjudging his racket on several occasions. She lost that match 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3, and then withdrew from the mixed doubles bronze medal match (with Nina Stojanovic), which was to start the same day, due to a left shoulder injury. They have played seven games in four days with a draw and it seems they have all caught up.
“I was playing with drugs, unbelievable pain and fatigue,” Djokovic said.
He was never able to recover his season and lost the final of the US Open a week later to Daniil Medvedev, thwarting his set goal of a calendar Grand Slam.
“(It’s) also (a) very demanding time for me in the last five, six months,” Djokovic said after the loss. “Slams and Olympics… Everything has come together for me here and kind of accumulating all the emotions that I have gone through. Unfortunately I did not make it to the final step.”
DJOKOVIC IS BACK to the Olympics in a radically different position than in the past three years. Not only has he not won a Slam this season, but he has yet to win any titles. It was his worst start to a season since 2006. While he said he had no plans to retire, he knew time was running out. He will be 41 when the 2028 Olympics begin.
And returning to Roland Garros, site of the French Open and Olympic competition, could also be a challenge. He injured his knee at the French Open in June and was forced to withdraw before his quarter-final match. He underwent surgery for a torn medial meniscus in his right knee on June 5, initially leaving his status for Wimbledon in doubt.
Many have speculated that he will skip the grass court tournament to focus on his rehabilitation, and continue training on clay before the Olympics. But Djokovic arrived at the All England Club a week before the main draw began. After several successful and pain-free training sessions, he played and performed impressively during the walk, showing few signs of discomfort or difficult movements.
“If someone had told me I would be playing (in) the Wimbledon final three, four weeks ago, I would have believed it,” he said.
Djokovic and his teammates should quickly adjust back to the red clay after spending the last month on grass. The surface couldn’t be more different — clay is slower than grass — and the way players move around the court is, too. It will be difficult even for people who have no physical illness or injury. Perhaps because of this, Djokovic will only play singles at the Games.
But while Djokovic looked tired and a little sad after the Wimbledon final, he didn’t let that stop him.
“Let’s see how physically and mentally I will feel. I hope I can find the right tennis because I need everything I have and more to get to the Olympic final.”
