Novak Djokovic has officially completed tennis with his gold medal success at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
It had been a long time coming for the Serbian, who had won almost everything else that had been on offer throughout his illustrious and legendary career.
But there remained that one title that eluded him, and fears were justifiable given the manner and irregularity of the event.
However, despite all that was in his way, including a near-unstoppable Carlos Alcaraz, he accomplished the impossible, and one former coach of his has sought to explain exactly how he did it.
Novak Djokovic’s former coach makes Olympics final observation
Speaking to Tennis Majors after Novak Djokovic‘s Olympic gold medal triumph, Goran Ivanisevic, his former coach who was only relieved of his duties this year, was naturally full of praise for his former mentee.
After all, it was an accolade they had strived for throughout his career, and whether he was beside him or not remains irrelevant.
His teachings helped him become the player capable of accomplishing this extraordinary feat.
He offered one mid-match point of analysis whilst lauding the Serbian, noting: ‘Fascinating. It is an amazing switch he was able to make in his mind, Wimbledon was only two-three weeks ago. The will, the desire, the strength… Alcaraz is 16 years younger, hits harder and is quicker, but Novak made it look like Carlos isn’t younger, quicker and doesn’t hit harder.
‘Only a crazy person would say that he doesn’t have it in him anymore. When he really wants it, nobody can beat him, regardless of who is across the net. He was smart, he played aggressively and hit every shot with conviction. Alcaraz hits hard, but Novak hits even harder!
‘I think that surprised Carlos, made him a bit nervous. It is easier said than done, but that’s the key – to make Alcaraz nervous and to force him into some errors. That’s what happened in the second set tiebreak – Alcaraz knew that he would be punished for a shorter ball, and he made some errors. It’s not easy to pull off what Novak did, but again, he wanted it so much.’
Novak Djokovic turned up for the biggest match of his career
With ten Australian Open titles, seven Wimbledon titles, four more at the US Open and a further three from Roland Garros, Grand Slams were of little consequence to Djokovic going into this summer.
It felt like, and has done for some time now, that all roads led towards the Olympics and that elusive gold medal which he still was without.
After all, having moved ahead as the male with the most Grand Slam titles ever, and just one away from standing alone ahead of Margaret Court too, that additional triumph almost felt like an inevitability, especially after last season.
However, what did not was the Olympics, a one-off tournament and surely his final chance at the ultimate prize given it only comes around every four years.
The 37-year-old, who would be 41 by the time the next games rolled around, heaped so much pressure on himself by telling everyone who would listen what his target was, and yet he stepped up to the plate in a way that few ever have done in sporting history.
With immortality on the line, a longstanding knee injury, his age and an unrelenting, near-unbeatable opponent in front of him, Djokovic stood up and overcame the impossible.
He truly has earned the title of the Greatest of all Time, whether people agree with it or not. Few can now argue with the full trophy cabinet he now boasts.
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