Andy Murray Explains Importance of Olympic Gold for Tennis Players by Citing Novak Djokovic’s Paris Win: “He Was More Emotional”

Andy Murray has two Olympic gold medals to his name, while his former protege Novak Djokovic tasted glory for the first time last year.

Andy Murray Explains Importance of Olympic Gold for Tennis Players by Citing Novak Djokovic’s Paris Win: “He Was More Emotional”

Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray (Image via X/Danny, LTA)

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The Olympics don’t offer prize money or ranking points to the tennis players. Not every player wants to participate in the quadrennial event because Grand Slam events are considered the most important in tennis.

Andy Murray, however, is not of the same opinion. He knows how overwhelmed he was with different emotions when he won the gold medal twice in the Olympics.

The Scot defeated Switzerland’s 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer at the 2012 London Olympics, while in the 2016 Rio Olympics, he defended his crown by going past Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro.

Last year, Murray called time on his career after reaching the doubles quarterfinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics. In singles, the gold medal went to Serbian legend Novak Djokovic after a tough straight-set victory over Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.

A lot of tennis players don’t think tennis should be in the Olympics because it’s not considered the pinnacle. But Djokovic won the Olympics in Paris, and if you go and see how he reacted to winning that in comparison to any of his Grand Slams, he was significantly more emotional. All the tennis players who have won Olympic golds, [it is] the most amazing thing. In the Olympics, you get very few chances.

Andy Murray said on the Stephen Hendry Cue Tips

Djokovic is the winner of 24 Grand Slam titles. But he himself has said on multiple occasions that for him, the gold medal for Serbia was his career’s best achievement.

He wants to experience it once again, which is why he is hoping to play the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, even though his body, at this stage of his career, has become prone to an increase in injuries. The Paris Olympics gold medal was, in fact, the last Big Title the Serb has lifted, as since then, he has reached only two Masters 1000 finals, losing at the 2024 Shanghai Masters to Jannik Sinner and later suffering defeat at the hands of Jakub Mensik in this year’s Miami Open final.

Murray, after his retirement, joined Nole’s team as his coach, to the surprise of the tennis world. But because the partnership did not bring great results, they split during the European clay swing.

Andy Murray recalls practicing with Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer

Andy Murray recalled that, earlier in his career, he used to practice with Roger Federer, but the latter stopped after a couple of years. Murray said Federer never practiced with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic because he considered them his rivals.

Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray
Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray (Image via X/CGTN Sports Scene)

I like practising with them just because it gave me the chance to see where my game was at. I wouldn’t practise with them a couple of days before a big match, but a couple weeks out from a major tournament, then I would practise with those guys. I was never going for dinner with them, whereas now, I’d love to do that — see them a few times socially.

Andy Murray said on the Stephen Hendry Cue Tips

Murray locked horns with Federer 25 times, winning on 11 occasions. Thrice, he lost Grand Slam finals to the Swiss maestro, who called time on his career at the 2022 Laver Cup.

Murray also said he did not have any friends on the tour while he was at the top, saying if he was socializing with friends and family, he would tell them about his struggles, but to his competitors, he wouldn’t do it. Nadal also hung up his racket at the 2024 Davis Cup. Djokovic will continue his hunt for his historic 25th Major at the Australian Open next year.

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