Novak Djokovic is preparing for the 2025 Australian Open, where he will look to win a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title.
2024 wasn’t the best year of Djokovic’s career, as the Serb fell to number seven in the world rankings, and failed to pick up a tour-level title.
Djokovic lost in the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz for the second year running, and fell to another young star, Jannik Sinner, in the last four of the Australian Open.
Having lost in the Shanghai final, Djokovic withdrew from the ATP Finals, bringing his 2024 season to a close.
The 37-year-old made a big change in the off-season, as Djokovic brought in Andy Murray as his new coach, with the pair now preparing for this month’s Australian Open.
Ahead of the tournament, Djokovic has reflected on one of the toughest moments of his ATP career.
Novak Djokovic says Alexander Zverev ‘broke his heart’ at the 2021 Olympic Games
Speaking at the A Night With Novak event, Djokovic was asked to reflect on his experiences at the Olympic Games.
“One of the most heart-breaking losses I had was at the Olympic Games, the guy who is sitting behind me [Alexander Zverev], broke my heart in Tokyo in 2021,” he said.
“The semi-finals, he turned the match around and he won the Gold, I mean, deservedly, of course.
“But the Olympics come every four years so you very rarely have an opportunity to fight for the medal for your country.”
Zverev beat Djokovic 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, to book his place in the 2021 Olympic final, where he faced off against Russia’s Karen Khachanov.
The German battled past Khachanov in straight sets to win his first Olympic Gold medal.
Losing semi-finalist Djokovic was devastated but bounced back in 2024, achieving a lifelong ambition in Paris.
Djokovic won the Olympic Gold medal at Roland Garros, taking down Alcaraz in a thrilling final, as he finally won the one title that had eluded him so far in his career.
“Representing my country was always the greatest honour, so to win the Gold last year was just a dream come true,” he said.
“I’ve never experienced the intensity of emotions out on the court, ever, and I’ve been blessed to experience some great things in this sport, but that was just incredible.
“The highlight of my career.”
Alexander Zverev picks the moment in his career that gave him ‘goosebumps’
Djokovic said that his defeat to Zverev in 2021 was one of the worst moments in his career, but unsurprisingly, the German looks back on the Games slightly differently.
“It was unbelievable, when I got home, seeing thousands of people at the airport, that alone gave me goosebumps,” he said.
“It was something that I’ve never experienced before.”
Zverev went on to explain the big difference between the Olympic Games and the four Grand Slam tournaments, that make it so ‘special’.
“In tennis, we have the four Grand Slams right, everybody fights for the Grand Slams, everybody fights for world number one and all of that, but I think the Gold medal is something that’s special in all of the sports,” he said.
“If you’re an athlete, and you’re in the Olympic Games, you’re fighting for a Gold medal, you’re fighting for your country, your whole team.
“The surrounding, and the atmosphere that you have inside of the village, the support that you get from other athletes as well, is something that you don’t get at Grand Slams.
“At Grand Slams you’re alone, you’re with your team, you’re trying to do the best you can, but the Olympic Games is something that you cannot describe, it’s something you can’t compare to anything else in this world.”
Zverev and Djokovic may well look to add another Gold medal to their collection at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
