Novak Djokovic has, objectively, won every significant prize in the sport to own the most complete of tennis CVs.
All four Grand Slam titles, all nine ATP Masters trophies, the season-ending ATP Finals crown, a Davis Cup triumph – plus a record number of weeks at world No.1.
Now, he adds Olympic singles gold to his trophy cabinet, a victory Djokovic described as meaning more than any other.
It came thanks to a 7-6(3) 7-6(2) win over his biggest current rival in Carlos Alcaraz, who’d only three weeks ago dominated Djokovic in the Wimbledon final.
“I thought that 2012, Opening Ceremony in London, carrying the flag for my country … is the best feeling that an athlete could have. Until today,” Djokovic said.
“This kind of supersedes everything that I imagined, that (I) hoped that I could experience and that I could feel.
“The fact I won the bronze in the first Olympics Games and ever since then failed to win a medal, and played three out of four Olympic Games in semifinals and couldn’t overcome that obstacle.
"And then now, at age 37, with (a) 21-year-old (opponent) 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’ve ever had in my career.”
After winning bronze in Beijing 2008, Djokovic had twice lost bronze medal play-offs at subsequent Olympics, in London 2012 and Tokyo 2020.
His semifinal victory over eventual bronze medallist Lorenzo Musetti vaulted him into his first Olympic singles final.
Given the stage of his career that he is at, there was a sense it was now or never if he wanted to win an elusive Olympic gold.
"It’s a huge relief because I’ve never got to the Olympic finals… So just to secure a higher medal for the first time for my country, whatever happens on Sunday, it’s a huge pride, honour and happiness,” he said.
“It's why I celebrated the way I did, and I still feel like I need to celebrate that because it's a big success.
“I'm going to go for gold on Sunday, there is no doubt about it, but this is a big deal."
His use of terms like “huge relief” and “big deal” made it clear Djokovic was shouldering significant pressure entering the final.
But he handled it masterfully.
At a packed Court Philippe Chatrier, he went toe-to-toe with Alcaraz in an epic opening set exceeding 90 minutes.
Djokovic saved three break points in the fifth game, and five in the ninth, before getting on top in the tiebreak, winning four straight points from 3-3 to claim it.
It was a similar story in the second-set tiebreak, where from 2-2, Djokovic reeled off five straight points to complete his triumph in almost three hours.
"It's hard to describe. I'm just so proud to be a part of an elite number of athletes that managed to win gold for their countries in their respective sports. They probably are the only ones that can really understand this feeling,” Djokovic reflected.
“I was so blessed to win everything pretty much there is to win in my sport, but this is something different. This supersedes everything that I've ever felt on the tennis court after winning big trophies.
“It's just incredible joy."
Djokovic nudges ahead 4-3 in the head-to-head series against Alcaraz, who wept after the match during an on-court interview.
"It was emotional,” Alcaraz admitted.
“It wasn't the result that I wanted, but I have to be really proud of myself for the level that I played during the whole tournament, and for the level that I played today.
“I had a really difficult and tough opponent in Novak. He played an unbelievable game, from the first ball and to the last one, so I have to give credit to him.
“It means a lot to bring a medal to Spain. To have a medal is an incredible feeling that I have to enjoy. I just need to realise that not every day I win a medal."
A day earlier at Roland Garros, Musetti won men’s singles bronze with a three-set victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime.
