Novak Djokovic Makes a Moving Statement on the First Anniversary of his Olympic Gold Medal Win

Novak Djokovic achieved the Career Golden Slam by winning the Olympic Gold medal in Paris last year.

Novak Djokovic Makes a Moving Statement on the First Anniversary of his Olympic Gold Medal Win

Novak Djokovic (Image via X/24)

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Novak Djokovic has recalled the great memories of winning the Olympic Gold medal at the Paris Olympics. The Serbian legend completed his trophy cabinet at the Olympic Games in 2024, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

Moved by the highlights of the Gold medal match, Djokovic said that he had watched the reel a handful of times. The Serbian sensationally won the Gold only nine weeks after sustaining a meniscus tear. Djokovic said on Laureus:

I’ve watched this video probably a million times. Not recently, but now you’re pushing me to watch it again and again. This will remain the pinnacle of my career given the years I waited and worked for it. Heartbreaking losses in the last four Olympic Games I competed in prevented me from reaching this milestone, reaching the final, and fighting for the gold medal…I will remember this moment forever.

Djokovic won the Gold medal without losing a set. He avenged his defeat at the hands of Alcaraz three weeks earlier in the Wimbledon final.

Astonishingly, the Gold medal was the only title that Djokovic won in the 2024 season. The Serb surrendered all of his three Grand Slam titles in 2024 to Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz, respectively.

Novak Djokovic takes huge risk by skipping Cincinnati Open

Former World No.1 Novak Djokovic has officially withdrawn from the Cincinnati Masters, scheduled from August 7 to 18. He had already missed the Toronto Masters earlier this month. While he skipped Cincinnati last year after winning Olympic gold, this year’s absence is raising more concern among fans.

Novak Djokovic (2)
Novak Djokovic (Image via X/Wolfy)

Djokovic hasn’t played since his Wimbledon semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner. He struggled with a muscle issue during that match and wasn’t at his best physically. Since then, he has been vacationing in Greece and Croatia and hasn’t resumed training. At this stage in his career, Djokovic is clearly prioritizing Grand Slam events.

He aims to return fully fit for the US Open, which runs from August 24 to September 7 in New York. He won the title there in 2023. He is also scheduled to compete in mixed doubles with Olga Danilovic, which could help him ease back into competitive form.

However, missing major lead-up events may cost him in the ATP rankings. Alex de Minaur, who is performing strongly on hard courts, could pass Djokovic with a few more wins. Ben Shelton is also in contention to overtake him if he wins the Toronto title. Djokovic himself admitted after Wimbledon that it’s getting harder to beat younger stars like Sinner and Alcaraz in long matches.

Novak Djokovic’s ranking status after Cincinnati Open withdrawal

Serbian legend Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the 2025 Cincinnati Open, which could affect his ATP ranking ahead of the US Open. The tournament is set to run from August 7 to 18. His absence comes after also missing the Canadian Open in Toronto.

Novak Djokovic (X/Wimbledon)
Novak Djokovic (X/Wimbledon)

Djokovic has not shared the reason for skipping both events. However, it’s possible he is still recovering from an injury sustained during Wimbledon. He appeared to fall awkwardly in his quarter-final match against Flavio Cobolli and later lost in straight sets to Jannik Sinner in the semi-final.

This marks the fourth time in five years that Djokovic has missed both the Toronto and Cincinnati Masters events. He last played in Canada in 2018 and returned to Cincinnati only once since 2020, winning the title in 2023. Since he didn’t compete there in 2024 either, he has no points to defend this year.

Currently ranked sixth with 4,130 ATP points, Djokovic risks being passed in the rankings before the US Open begins. Ben Shelton trails by 610 points, and Alex de Minaur is 650 points behind. Strong results from either player could push Djokovic further down the standings.

Also Read: Italian Tennis Federation President Boasts that Jannik Sinner has “Become the Driving Force of an Entire Generation of Talent”