A gold medal was all Novak Djokovic was missing throughout his impressive tennis career.
The 37-year-old has won 24 grand slam titles, a bronze medal, and has been No. 1 in the tennis rankings longer than any men's or women's player in the sport's history. Even without the gold medal, Djokovic was still widely considered to be one of the greatest tennis players ever.
He didn't settle, however. He already had a career grand slam, but the gold medal would give him the rare golden grand slam. Djokovic delivered at the 2024 Paris Olympics, earning the men's singles gold medal for Serbia.
Djokovic defeated 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz to become the oldest men's singles player to win gold since 1908. Here's how the 37-year-old overcame injury to complete the golden grand slam at the Olympics.
2024 PARIS OLYMPICS
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How Novak Djokovic won gold at 2024 Paris Olympics
Djokovic had been eyeing a gold medal since debuting at the 2008 Olympics. The Serbian won a bronze medal at the Beijing Summer Games but has missed out on the hardware in each of the previous three Olympic Games.
"I put my heart, my soul, my body, my family — my everything — on the line to win Olympic gold," Djokovic said. "Incredible battle. Incredible fight."
The 37-year-old secured a medal in Paris, but he had a familiar face on the other side of the clay. Alcaraz, a 21-year-old Spanish tennis player, has taken over the sport with four grand slam titles in his short career.
That gold medal feeling for Novak Djokovic. 🥇😤#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/7SDQ1NSugY
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) August 4, 2024
Alcaraz and Djokovic have faced off six times prior to the Paris Olympics, with both sides earning three wins apiece. Two of Alcaraz's wins came in back-to-back Wimbledon Finals.
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Djokovic broke the tie and now owns a 4-3 advantage over the youngster. He becomes the oldest men's singles player to win gold at the Olympics since 1908 while simultaneously preventing Alcaraz from becoming the youngest to win gold.
He did this all while battling an injury at the 2024 Olympics. Djokovic believed he may have re-injured his right knee just a couple of months after tearing his meniscus.
Djokovic left the French Open due to the meniscus tear, opting for surgery ahead of the Olympics. He felt a "sharp pain" in his right knee during the quarterfinals in Paris.
"I’m concerned about the state of the knee," Djokovic said after the quarterfinal. "I cannot give you exact information because I don’t have it."
He ultimately played in the semifinal the next day and secured at least a silver medal with his win over Italy's Lorenzo Musetti. Djokovic won gold two days later and can now rest his knee.