At the Paris 2024 Olympics, 37-year-old Novak Djokovic defeated young rival Carlos Alcaraz with scores of 7-6(3), 7-6(2) in the men’s singles final, becoming the oldest male tennis player to win an Olympic gold medal. Following his victory, Djokovic stated, “Yes, I really want to compete in Los Angeles in 2028. I love representing my country in the Olympics and the Davis Cup.”

Djokovic’s ambition to play in the 2028 Olympics in the US, when he will be 41, has sparked considerable excitement. His performance continues to support the prediction of former Grand Slam champion Jim Courier, who in 2021 remarked, “Novak has the potential to extend his career beyond Nadal. He is a year younger and generally in good health. If he avoids surgery and stays focused, I think he could play until 40.”

Despite undergoing knee surgery in June this year after an injury at Roland Garros, Djokovic managed to recover in time for Wimbledon and reached the final. He then went on to defeat Alcaraz in the Olympic final, earning a gold medal that Djokovic said was even more significant than the 24 Grand Slam titles he has won.

Djokovic’s former coach, Goran Ivanisevic, also commented on his former pupil’s continued potential: “Novak is incredible; he will never retire. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him play in Los Angeles.”

This Olympic win completed Djokovic’s Career Golden Slam (winning all four Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold medal), placing him among the legendary players who have achieved this feat, including Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams.

Ivanisevic, who helped Djokovic secure 9 of his 24 Grand Slam titles before leaving in March 2024, believes Djokovic is now a top contender for the upcoming US Open. He said, “I’m thrilled that he finally won this gold medal. I hope he wins his 25th Grand Slam to set an unprecedented milestone (along with Margaret Court, Djokovic is one of two players with 24 Grand Slam singles titles), and then he can retire, although he probably won’t want to.”

Djokovic’s Instagram post celebrating his Olympic gold medal, titled: “To Serbia, we did it. Nole loves you all,” has garnered immense attention from fans, surpassing the engagement of Roger Federer’s retirement post from the Laver Cup in 2022. According to statistics, Djokovic’s post received 2,284,237 likes, while Federer’s post had around 1.8 million likes at a similar time.

Following the Olympics, the Rogers Cup is currently underway in Canada, but Djokovic and many other players are not participating. The 37-year-old is now focusing on the Cincinnati Masters, taking place in the US from August 13-19, followed by the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open 2024, from August 26 to September 8.