Novak Djokovic to focus solely on singles to end the GOAT debate at Paris Olympics while Rafael Nadal opts for doubles with Carlos Alcaraz

Djokovic will be hoping to clinch gold in what could be his final appearance at the Olympics.

Novak Djokovic to focus solely on singles to end the GOAT debate at Paris Olympics while Rafael Nadal opts for doubles with Carlos Alcaraz

Novak Djokovic (via Imago)

One of the only things Novak Djokovic has yet to achieve in his career is an Olympic gold medal. The Serbian’s desire to clinch it has resulted in him focusing solely on playing the singles at the Paris Olympics. Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, on the other hand, take the spotlight in their doubles partnership.

Djokovic helped Serbia win their first major title at the Davis Cup in 2010 but has failed to achieve glory with his country at the Olympics. Though he won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, an elusive gold medal could end the debate of who is the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) debate in tennis.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion has a 13-6 record in Olympic singles matches. His first loss at the event was to Nadal in the semifinals of the 2008 edition. He lost to two-time gold medalist Andy Murray in the semifinals in London four years later and later lost the bronze medal match to Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro.

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At the 2016 Rio Games, he lost to Del Potro in the opening round. At the most recent edition of the event in Tokyo, Djokovic took part in the singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles. He suffered an early defeat in the men’s doubles and lost in the semifinals in both the singles and mixed doubles.

In the bronze medal play-off match in the singles, he lost to Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta, while he withdrew from his third-place mixed doubles match leaving his partner Nina Stojanovic disappointed.

With the Tokyo Olympics experience, Djokovic has learned a hard lesson and has decided to focus solely on the singles in Paris. The 37-year-old bears the weight of Serbia’s hopes for silverware and it may very well be his last chance to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

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“So I guess this makes sense,” Fans react to Novak Djokovic playing only in the singles at Paris Olympics

Fans on social media reacted to Novak Djokovic’s decision to only play in the singles at the Paris Olympics. The 37-year-old will be looking to conserve energy in a very congested schedule, having just played only one tournament since his return from knee surgery.

Novak Djokovic (6)
Novak Djokovic (Image via Imago)

He pulled out last time, so I guess that is makes sense.

A fan reacted on X

Here are some more fan reactions:

Djokovic will be returning to the Philippe-Chatrier Court at the Olympics, the same stadium where he sustained his knee injury in June. Despite fully recovering from it, he will be hoping that fate doesn’t repeat itself in his quest to clinch gold.

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