Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams... and finally, Novak Djokovic!
After five attempts, the elusive singles Olympic Gold Medal finally graced Djokovic's neck. And at 37 years old, the Golden Slam is finally complete!
"Representing my country has always been a top priority and honor for me. Whether it's the Olympic Games or Davis Cup, carrying the Serbian flag proudly motivates me like nothing else. Winning bronze in my first Olympics and then failing to win a medal in subsequent games was tough. But now, at 37, beating a 21-year-old who's arguably the best player in the world, makes this the biggest sporting success of my career," the 24-time Grand Slam champion said in the post-final press conference.
As he stood on the podium, tears filled his eyes. They weren't tears of sadness but tears of joy! Becoming the fifth tennis player and 13th overall to win all Grand Slams and an Olympic Gold is no easy feat.
Since his first Olympic appearance in Beijing 2008, where he won bronze, luck seemed to evade Djokovic at the Olympics. He lost the bronze medal match in 2012 to Juan Martin Del Potro, and the Argentine was the one to beat him again in 2016, in the opening round itself. Tokyo 2020 saw him finish 4th, losing the bronze medal match to Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta.
In what might be his final Olympic appearance, Djokovic, the top seed, brought his A-game to Paris. He dominated all six of his matches, including a second-round thrashing of Rafael Nadal. And then in the final, he overcame a young, energetic and title-hungry Carlos Alcaraz to become the first player since Serena Williams to win an Olympic singles crown without dropping a single set throughout the tournament.
This victory marked his 72nd big singles title, including 24 Grand Slam titles, 7 year-end Finals, 40 ATP Masters, and the elusive Olympic Gold. He has further extended his lead over his legendary rivals, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
Until now, his GOAT status had some doubters. But with the Golden Slam in the bag, Djokovic's legacy as the Greatest of All Time is now a compelling reality.