Jelena Djokovic is confident that her husband Novak “will not stop” anytime soon after his Golden Slam victory this summer.
Despite being defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon finals, the 37-year-old Serbian retaliated at the Paris Olympics, securing a gold medal for his country by overcoming the young Spaniard.
Although Djokovic didn’t clinch any of the four major titles this year, his triumphant Olympic performance will undoubtedly be seen as a significant achievement in an already illustrious career.
Speculation has been rife among tennis enthusiasts about when Djokovic might walk away from the game, particularly after Rafael Nadal’s recent announcement of his impending retirement.
Djokovic’s impressive record includes everything there is to win in tennis: 24 Grand Slam victories, 428 weeks as world No.1, and now an Olympic gold medal.
However, Jelena believes her husband still has plenty more to give to the sport. In an interview with La Nacion, she confidently shared that her hubby “will not stop here,” suggesting that Djokovic’s competitive spirit remains undiminished. Jelena was present at the Paris Olympics, shedding tears of joy as her husband secured his first-ever gold medal with a 7-6, 7-6 tie-break victory over Alcaraz.
Over the moon after the event, Jelena said: “I was in the stands crying with happiness, wondering what would be next. Olympic gold was a very difficult goal to achieve, it took him a long time, but I know for sure that he will not stop here. Novak is a giant in mental and spiritual capacity, it is an honour to live with him and to have had the opportunity to be inspired by him.”
On the flip side, Djokovic himself, fresh from his triumph, declared that snagging the Olympic gold tops all his career achievements so far. In a post-match press conference, Djokovic reflected (via the Express): “The fact that I won the bronze in the first Olympic Games, and ever since then failed to win a medal – played three our of four Olympic Games in semi-finals and couldn’t overcome that obstacle.
“And then now at age 37, with a 21-year-old that is probably the best player in the world right now – winning Roland Garros and Wimbledon back to back, and playing incredible tennis. When I take everything in consideration, this probably is the biggest sporting success I have ever had in my career.”
The revelation comes as Djokovic’s Spanish rival Nadal earlier this month announced his decision to end his illustrious career after the Davis Cup in Malaga. With a staggering 21 Grand Slam titles under his belt, including a record 14 French Open victories, Nadal has acknowledged that injuries have hampered his performance over the past couple of years.
