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Novak Djokovic winning his first Olympic gold medal on Sunday was a double surprise. First, he wasn’t one to win, despite being the GOAT of men’s singles tennis. The 37-year-old, who has spent much of the year battling knee problems, was facing Carlos Alcaraz, the 21-year-old Spanish phenom who beat Djokovic in the Wimbledon final last month.
The second surprise was his intensely emotional reaction after his victory. When he scored the last point, he let out a loud cry, raising his arms to the sky and dropping his racket. This is normal for Djokovic. But it was after going to greet Alcaraz at the net that his emotions began to take hold. He fell to his knees on the red clay and then leaned on his elbows, his head buried in his hands and his chest heaving with emotion.
After a few moments, he got back on his knees and raised his hands to the sky. Sobbing, he made the sign of the cross. Djokovic was then led into the stands, where he immediately grabbed his young daughter while his wife, son and team surrounded him in a huge embrace. He had finally achieved his dream.
At this point, even the most casual tennis fans have seen Djokovic win a tournament. He collapses to the ground, he jumps and screams, he hugs his family and his team. It’s not a routine, but it is a routine. He has won all the Grand Slams several times. He holds the record for most men’s Grand Slam victories in tennis history and is tied with Margaret Court for the all-time record (24).
That’s why his response was so unexpected. After winning bronze in 2008 at age 21, then finishing fourth in 2012 and 2021, he Really wanted to win gold. And it felt like the first time in a long time that he was willing to let the world see a part of him that wasn’t perfect and composed. He wanted something, failed, had to fight for it and finally succeeded. It’s one of the most human stories there is.
Djokovic’s place in tennis history and everything he has accomplished is what makes his response so resonant and touching. The Olympics don’t matter to tennis (neither the WTA nor the ATP award ranking points for the Games), but the Olympics do matter to it. This wasn’t just another notch in his Grand Slam belt. He wanted to win the gold medal for himself and for Serbia.
He almost lost it several times. There were times when you could almost feel this desperate recklessness lurking just beneath the surface, ready to knock him off balance. He yelled at his box, accusing them of being silent and not helping him when he needed it. He looked at Alcaraz in bewilderment, shaking his head every time he turned one of Djokovic’s winners into his own winner.
But Djokovic never broke. He never panicked. He never gave up. Facing a 21-year-old at the very start of what has already been an exciting and accomplished career, the 37-year-old drew on every lesson he had learned in tennis, every bit of experience he had he had acquired, every ounce of stamina he could muster. Beating Alcaraz wasn’t just about tennis on the court. It was about his mind. Which player could resist pressure better?
Sunday, it was Djokovic. The crowd was leaning slightly towards Alcaraz, but it was clear that above all they wanted to be entertained with good tennis. Djokovic hasn’t always had full support at Roland Garros, but the crowd was behind him 100% when the final point was scored. They roared in appreciation and celebration as the greatest male tennis player of all time finally realized his dream of winning an Olympic gold medal.
At that moment, there was no tomorrow. No thoughts about his next tournament, or the US Open, or his knee injury, or even Carlos Alcaraz. There was only Djokovic, collapsed on the red clay, doing what thousands of Olympians around the world have done before him: crying with joy, screaming with excitement, screaming with pride, desperate to kiss the people who helped him every day on his journey. .
Many Djokovic moments will always be remembered. But this Olympic gold medal at the end of his career will be a milestone event in 10, 20 or 30 years. It represents so much about the spirit of tennis and the true nature of dedication and commitment. But it also represents a lot about Djokovic: for a man who has always dedicated himself to being the exception, the different, his most moving moment came when he simply let his true emotions shine through and let them l ‘take away.
