Novak Djokovic wants to play in Los Angeles 2028 after 'biggest sporting achievement' of gold at Olympics
Published 05/08/2024 at 10:36 GMT+1
Novak Djokovic won gold for Serbia in the tennis event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Djokovic described it as his “biggest sporting achievement” and said he hopes to be back in four years' time in Los Angeles to compete for Serbia again. He also said that tennis is "complete" for him and after winning gold "now it’s about happiness, joy and celebration".
'Biggest achievement in my career' - Djokovic basks in gold medal after beating Alcaraz
Video credit: SNTV
Novak Djokovic might have “completed all the achievements” in tennis by winning Olympic gold in Paris, but he has said he hopes to compete again in Los Angeles in four years’ time.
Djokovic beat Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in a high-quality final at Roland-Garros to win a long-awaited and much-desired gold for Serbia.
He is just the fifth player to complete the career Golden Slam – all four major titles and Olympic singles gold - after Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf.
Although he will be 41 by the time of the 2028 Olympics, Djokovic is not ruling out competing again.
“I still want to play in Los Angeles,” he said.
“I enjoy playing for my country and the Olympic Games particularly and Davis Cup, being part of the team.”
Djokovic has not been at his very best this season but found his top level when it mattered most to beat Alcaraz and win gold.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has never hid his desire to win gold for Serbia and described it as his “biggest sporting achievement”.
“Olympic Games come every four years so the opportunity to win gold for your country is very rare and I knew the fact that I’m 37 and I don’t know how many more chances I’ll have, I knew everything.
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“I have to deal with that, I have to try to silence all the noise around me and focus on what needs to be done on the court. And that’s the biggest battle to win.
“I’m super thrilled that I managed to do it here in the way that I did it, against a guy who is the best in the world at the moment. I’m just over the moon.
“Everything that I felt in that moment when I won really surpassed everything I thought or hoped that it would. I thought that carrying the flag at the opening ceremony (in London) was the best feeling ever until I experienced this today.
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Watch comical moment Djokovic and Alcaraz have to halt final for crying baby
Video credit: TNT Sports
“And being on that court with the Serbian flag raising, singing the Serbian anthem, with the gold around my neck, I think nothing can beat that in terms of professional sport. It definitely stands out as the biggest sporting achievement I had.”
Djokovic is not returning to the ATP Tour this week at the Canadian Open but will soon prepare for the US Open.
There he will have a chance to win a 25th Grand Slam title, which would put him in the outright lead for the most of all-time.
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'I'm still in shock' - Djokovic overcome with delight after beating Alcaraz for gold
Video credit: TNT Sports
Although that is a record that remains outstanding for now, asked whether he has ‘completed’ tennis, Djokovic said: “Yes it’s complete because I completed all the achievements with this gold medal but no because I love this sport. I don’t play only to win the tournaments.
“I don’t know about the future, I really want to be in the present moment to celebrate. It was a long journey, many, many years of dreaming to be holding the gold medal. So now it’s about happiness, joy and celebration.”
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discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024 this summer.
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