Youth Incorporated Magazine

On August 4, Novak Djokovic created a historic milestone and secured the Olympic gold medal at the Paris Olympics by adding to his impressive tally of 24 Grand Slam titles, with this victory, Djokovic joins the group of players who achieved the career Golden Slam Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Andre Agassi, and Steffi Graf. In a gripping final, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz of Spain with scores of 7-6(3) and 7-6(2), clinching the men’s singles gold medal in Paris Olympics 2024. And his performance in Paris was a testament to his exceptional skill and resilience, further solidifying his legendary status in the tennis world.

Djokovic’s Record-breaking Achievements

At the Paris Olympics Djokovic’s triumph has added one more significant achievement to his career, boasting 72 ‘Big Titles,’ including Grand Slam championships, Nitto ATP Finals titles, ATP Masters 1000 trophies, and Olympic singles gold medals. With the passing years, Djokovic surpassed other tennis legends such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and became the leader of the modern-day ‘Big Three’. Djokovic has secured at least one Big Title in 16 of the past 18 seasons. He is the only player to have won Olympic singles gold, a Grand Slam title, and all nine Masters 1000 events till now holding the standalone men’s records for Grand Slam championships (24), Nitto ATP Finals titles (7), and Masters 1000 titles (40).

What does Golden Slam mean?

A Golden Slam can be achieved in tennis by winning all four Grand Slam tournaments Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open and the Olympic gold medal this rare feat requires exceptional skill, consistency, and adaptability in different surfaces and conditions, the term was introduced in 1988 when the legendary German tennis player Steffi Graf accomplished this extraordinary feat. Steffi Graf remains the only player in history to have won a Golden Slam, in 1988, she won the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, and topped it off by clinching the gold medal at the Seoul Olympics. With Graf’s unparalleled success that year set her apart, then the “Golden Slam” honoured her historic achievement.

What is a Career Golden Slam?

A career Golden Slam is a big achievement when a player wins all four Grand Slam tournaments and an Olympic gold medal throughout their career, though not necessarily in the same calendar year. This highlights a player’s success in the sport’s most prestigious events at various levels of their career.

Players with Career Golden Slam in Singles:

Steffi Graf (Germany) – 1988

Andre Agassi (USA) – 1999 (Achieved Career Golden Slam by winning the French Open)

Rafael Nadal (Spain) – 2010 (Achieved Career Golden Slam by winning the US Open)

Serena Williams (USA) – 2012 (Achieved Career Golden Slam by winning the Olympic Gold Medal at the London Olympics)

Players with Career Golden Slam in Doubles:

Pam Shriver (USA) – 1988

Gigi Fernandez (USA) – 1996

Todd Woodbridge (Australia) – 2000

Mark Woodforde (Australia) – 2000

Serena Williams (USA) – 2001 (Only player to achieve Career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles)

Venus Williams (USA) – 2001

Daniel Nestor (Canada) – 2002

Bob Bryan (USA) – 2012

Mike Bryan (USA) – 2012

In the final, he walked onto court doing the sign of the cross and then, with the gold medal dangling from his neck and hundreds of photographers jostling for the best position, he looked to the skies, pointed and yelled, “Glory to God” was expressing his gratitude to the almighty superior who gave the faith and opportunity. The emotions had got the better of the world No.2 as he embraced his family and entourage after arguably his best performance in a year.