Novak, and now what?

Everyone is amazed these days by the latest achievement of Novak Djokovic, the last one that was missing, the one that so bitterly affected him in Rio 2016 or Tokyo 2021, where his mission to win an individual gold medal fell short. This outstanding account has been settled this summer at the Paris Olympic Games, where the Balkan player has secured a legacy for eternity. In a post-final interview, where Nole talks to various media outlets, we heard him speak about his journey to this new success, a path filled with obstacles that he managed brilliantly despite the initial storm.

"This season has been a bit strange for me because after many years, I had not managed to win a title until this point. The Grand Slams and the Olympic Games were my main goals at the beginning of 2024, especially the Games. Who knows if this was my last chance to win a gold medal? With that in mind, I prepared myself as best as possible for Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and Paris. I worked hard, tried to improve every day until reaching the peak of my abilities, but the injury at Roland Garros halted everything. Still, I managed to compete at Wimbledon, where I probably didn't have high expectations, but reaching the final was a success for me," reflected the Belgrade native about his summer experiences.

"However, once I set sail for the Olympic Games, I already felt like a different player from the one I was weeks earlier at Wimbledon. I was very happy the day I secured my spot in the Olympic final; it felt like breaking a barrier that had always eluded me in the past. I almost celebrated it as if I had won the tournament, but I still had to climb the highest mountain: facing Alcaraz in the final. He is in spectacular form, but I believe that having lost so easily to him in the Wimbledon final actually worked in my favor. Because I couldn't do worse than that day, neither in terms of my level nor how I felt. I knew very well that this would be a very different match," Djokovic noted, decoding the buildup to that final.

A FUTURE YET UNWRITTEN

Now the question shifts towards the future, to a Djokovic who, after fulfilling all his dreams, will need to find new ambitions to continue dedicating his life to sports. Will we see a change in his philosophy? Or in his schedule? What record will he pursue now that he has nothing left to prove or win? A similar question – perhaps with less reflection – was posed to him in that mixed zone to test his competitive drive. These were his words.

"I feel complete, of course. With this gold medal, I have achieved everything I could… but I still love this sport. I don't play tennis just for numbers or to win titles. If I am still playing, it is because I love tennis and competition. I am passionate about working and preparing my body every week, about continuing to improve physically and mentally, even at my age. This sport has given me too many good things throughout my life, so I can only repay it with my dedication and the sacrifices I make on the court every day and off-court when no one is watching. These kinds of successes are never coincidental; everything is the result of incredible effort both from me and the people around me," affirmed the Belgrade player.

To conclude his response, Novak was pressed further to sketch out where the next challenges could lie on the court, although his answer was not the clearest. "Regarding the future… the truth is I have no idea; right now, I want to stay in this moment, in the present. I worked very hard to get here, sacrificed many things for this moment. It has been a long journey over all these years, many years dreaming of winning a gold medal at some point. Now is just the time to savor this happiness and celebrate it," he concluded.

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