The 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic is eyeing a significant achievement, the last big career milestone he has yet to achieve in his already legendary tennis career, an Olympic gold medal. Djokovic was named the 2023 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for his outstanding exploits last year, which included titles at the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open. He also won the Western & Southern Open, the Paris Masters, and the ATP Finals, and finished 2023 as the World No. 1. The Serbian will head into the upcoming Paris Olympics with an aim of adding the gold medal to his illustrious trophy cabinet.
"I hope I can play my best tennis at the Olympics," Djokovic told reporters after being awarded the Sportsman of the Year honour for the fifth time at the Laureus Awards as quoted by Olympics.com.
World No. 1 stated that he sees the French Open, Wimbledon, the Paris 2024 Olympic and the US Open as "the most important block of tournaments" in 2024, with a special emphasis on his fifth Olympics appearance.
"At the end of the day, who knows if I will get another chance to play at the Olympic Games, they only come every four years. I said recently that I really wanted to play at least until the L.A. Olympic Games [in 2028], but you never know, at this stage. What can happen or how far I can go," he added.
The 36-year-old won a bronze medal at the Beijing 2008, however, the Serbian was not successful in finishing on the podium in three more Olympic appearances.
"I will try to use this chance as best as possible," Djokovic added. He plans to play the Rome Masters before Roland-Garros, which begins on May 25.
"If I didn't think [a gold medal] was possible, I probably wouldn't be playing the Olympic Games. You have to believe that everything is possible in life," Djokovic added about his pending fifth Olympic appearance.
"The Olympics Games are the oldest and most prestigious sporting event in the history of sport. It's a huge honour to represent Serbia at the Olympic Games. I hope I can be healthy and fit," the World No.1 said.
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