“He finds so much joy in tennis,” British Tennis legend Mark Petchey reveals Novak Djokovic can now retire after winning Olympic gold in Paris
British legend Mark Petchey reveals Novak Djokovic can retire from the sport following his Olympic gold medal win in Paris.
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Mark Petchey (inset) and Novak Djokovic (via Imago)
British Tennis legend Mark Petchey has stated that Novak Djokovic can end his career after claiming the singles gold medal at the Paris Olympics. The 37-year-old had craved the title on four occasions previously and finally earned the silverware after beating Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets in the final.
Djokovic had enjoyed a record-breaking 2023 season during which he took his Grand Slam tally to 24. However, he began 2024 in a lackluster manner, failing to win any title or reach a final until Wimbledon. At SW19, he lost to Alcaraz in straight sets in the title clash.
Ahead of the Olympics, the former World No.1 was not the favorite to win the gold medal in Paris. However, he managed to win all his matches without dropping a set to complete a career Golden Slam (winning all four Grand Slams and Olympic singles gold).
Djokovic later admitted that he has ‘completed the sport’ having won every big title on offer. Mark Petchey opined that Djokovic is satisfied with his career after winning Olympic gold.
This is the first time Novak Djokovic says ‘yes, I’ve completed everything now, I’m satisfied’. I think there’s still a lot he wants to do because he finds so much joy in tennis. For me, he’s finally created that moment where he can ‘drop the mic’ in his career. I didn’t think you could keep that greatness for so many yearsMark Petchey told We Love Tennis
Djokovic, now the oldest player to win the Olympic singles gold medal, has expressed interest in taking part in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Novak Djokovic heads to US Open without a warm-up match after withdrawing from Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open
Novak Djokovic has not been seen on a tennis court since winning the Olympic gold medal in Paris. Several videos on social media have shown the 37-year-old still celebrating his victory. He skipped the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open, despite being the defending champion at the latter.
The 37-year-old will be seen in action at the US Open next, which gets underway on August 26, without any proper preparation. He is also the defending champion and is seeking one more Major title to break a tie with Margaret Court for the most Grand Slams in tennis history.
After that, Djokovic has already confirmed that he will compete at the Shanghai Masters in China at the end of September. He will be back at the event after a five-year break. He will hope to claim the Shanghai title for the fifth time in his career.
In case you missed it:
- Novak Djokovic joins John McEnroe against Carlos Alcaraz and Andre Agassi for US Open Fan Week ‘spectacle’
- Coco Gauff feels Paris Olympics helped Americans ‘put aside differences’ to root for athletes amid ‘political turmoil’ in the US
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Victor Okechukwu
(731 Articles Published)