By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Photo credit: Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty
Novak Djokovic completed the career Golden Slam in Paris.
Celebrating his massive Olympic gold-medal triumph with thousands of Serbian fans in Belgrade on Monday, Djokovic shared his dream with the faithful.
More: Djokovic Completes Career Golden Slam
The 37-year-old Serbian superstar dreams of defending his gold medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
If Djokovic plays the Los Angeles Games, he would be the first tennis player to compete in six Olympic Games. If Djokovic defended the gold medal, he would join rival Andy Murray as just the second player to successfully defend the Olympic singles gold medal.
The Grand Slam king, who called his thrilling victory over Carlos Alcaraz in a dramatic gold-medal match "arguably the biggest success I ever had", said bringing gold back home to Serbia is one of his most fulfilling victories.
“I'll try to make it to Los Angeles,” Djokovic said during his appearance with fellow Serbian athletes at Belgrade City Hall. “I'd like to. The greatest pleasure is representing Serbia at the Olympic Games.
“For me, this is the realization of a boyhood dream, the pressure to win the gold was huge because I won more or less everything. I feel fulfilled, complete, let's celebrate.”
Thousands of Serbian fans gave Djokovic a hero's homecoming in Belgrade saluting the gold-medal champion.
The reigning US Open champion Djokovic joined Steffi Graf, the only player to complete the calendar Golden Slam in 1988, her husband, Andre Agassi, Serena Williams and Raffael Nadal as just the fifth player in history to complete the career Golden Slam.
“Arguably, the biggest success I ever had," Djokovic said of winning the Olympic gold. "Of course, I’ve won everything there is to win probably in my individual career.
"But winning Davis Cup and particularly winning golden medal at the Olympic Games at age 37 is unprecedented."