Novak Djokovic Eyes 2028 Olympics at Age 41, Creates Huge Social Media Buzz
Novak Djokovic, at 37, defeated young rival Carlos Alcaraz with a score of 7-6(3), 7-6(2) in the men’s singles final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, becoming the oldest male tennis player to win an Olympic gold medal. After his victory, Djokovic said, “Yes, I would love to compete in Los Angeles in 2028. I love playing for my country at the Olympics and the Davis Cup.”
Novak aims to play in the 2028 Olympics in the USA, when he turns 41.
Djokovic’s current form supports Jim Courier’s 2021 prediction that he could extend his career longer than Nadal. Courier, a four-time Grand Slam champion, noted, “Novak has the potential to prolong his career longer than Nadal. He’s a year younger and generally in good health. If he avoids surgery and stays focused, I think he can play until he’s 40.”
Despite undergoing knee surgery this June following an injury at Roland Garros, Djokovic recovered in time for Wimbledon, reaching the final. He then went on to defeat Alcaraz in the Olympic final, earning a gold medal, which Djokovic said means more to him than his 24 Grand Slam titles.
Former coach Goran Ivanisevic also commented on Djokovic’s ability to continue playing: “Novak is crazy; he’ll never retire. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him compete in Los Angeles.”
The Olympic victory completed Djokovic’s Career Golden Slam (all four Grand Slam titles plus an Olympic gold), joining the ranks of legendary players like Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams.
Meanwhile, Ivanisevic, who helped Djokovic win 9 of his 24 Grand Slam titles before parting ways in March 2024, believes Djokovic is the top contender for the upcoming US Open.
He said, “I’m very happy he finally won this gold medal. I hope he will win his 25th Grand Slam title to set an unprecedented record (alongside Margaret Court, Djokovic has 24 Grand Slam singles titles), then he can retire, although he never wants to retire.”
Djokovic’s post celebrating his 2024 Olympic gold received more attention than Federer’s retirement post in 2022.
Djokovic’s Instagram post celebrating his Olympic victory, titled “Dear Serbia, we did it. Nole loves you all,” garnered immense attention, surpassing Roger Federer’s retirement post from the 2022 Laver Cup.
Statistics show Djokovic’s post received 2,284,237 likes, while Federer’s post had about 1.8 million likes in the same time frame.
After the Olympic tennis event, the Rogers Cup is currently taking place in Canada, but Djokovic and many other top players are not participating. The 37-year-old star is gearing up for the Cincinnati Masters in the USA from August 13-19, followed by the year’s final Grand Slam, the US Open 2024 (August 26 to September 8).
