Novak Djokovic is known for extending his trademark grunt when he strikes a crucial shot. On Sunday in Paris, as he claimed one of the most meaningful victories of his career, it was no different. In the Olympic gold-medal match at Roland Garros, Djokovic faced Carlos Alcaraz, and with a powerful shot, he sealed his triumph.
During the tiebreak in the second set, Djokovic found his rhythm, racing toward the finish line. When the moment came, he saw his opportunity, grabbed his forehand with confidence, extended his swing, and delivered a final powerful stroke. Alcaraz, known for his agility, could only watch the ball pass, resigned to the outcome.
This moment reminded me of another iconic Olympic match point from 12 years ago. Serena Williams, in her pursuit of an elusive singles gold medal, faced Maria Sharapova on Centre Court. On match point, Serena reached back, served a perfect ace down the middle, and her celebratory yell echoed through the stadium even before the ball landed.
It wasn’t just coincidence that Serena’s victory came to mind. As Djokovic fought his way to gold, I was also watching the ESPN documentary “In the Arena,” which revisits Serena’s remarkable career. This parallel between Djokovic and Serena made me reflect on their shared journeys toward greatness.
Djokovic now boasts 24 Grand Slam titles, while Williams concluded her career with 23. Both champions experienced unparalleled streaks of dominance: Serena with her “Serena Slam” from 2002-03 and again in 2014-15, and Djokovic with his “Djoker Slam” in 2015-16. Both came close to achieving the calendar-year Grand Slam, with Williams falling short in 2015 and Djokovic in 2021. Along with legends like Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, and Rafael Nadal, they are two of the five players in history to achieve the prestigious Golden Slam—winning all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold in singles. Serena also has one in doubles with her sister, Venus.
The Golden Slam, however, isn’t the ultimate metric of greatness. It has only been possible since 1988, and Olympic gold relies on factors beyond a player’s control. For example, Roger Federer might have won one if not for Juan Martin del Potro’s incredible performance in their 2012 semifinal, which ended in a grueling 19-17 third set. Two days later, Andy Murray bested Federer for the gold. Both Djokovic and Williams, widely considered the GOATs of the Open Era, only completed their Golden Slams when they were 30 and 37, respectively.
In tennis, there is always another match, another tournament, another chance to chase a title. But the Olympics are different.
British sportswriter Simon Barnes described the Olympics as being about “Now”—when athletes compete, they know that their next chance won’t come for another four years. For world-class athletes, four years is an eternity, meaning that the moment must be seized, or it may never come again. This urgency was particularly palpable for Serena in 2012 and Djokovic in 2024. Both had long dreamed of winning Olympic gold, and both knew they might not get another shot. But when the opportunity came, they seized it.
The paths to these Olympic victories were different for Serena and Djokovic, and both represent pinnacle moments in their careers.
In 2012, Serena was entering a period of dominance after turning 30. She dropped just eight games across her final four matches, defeating Sharapova 6-0, 6-1 in the final. That week, she was virtually unstoppable.
Djokovic, at 37, is closer to the end of his career than Serena was at that point, and his journey to gold was more turbulent. He dealt with a knee injury and narrowly avoided being pushed to three sets by Stefanos Tsitsipas. Though he sailed past an off-form Nadal in the second round, the final against the 21-year-old Alcaraz forced Djokovic to dig deeper than ever, winning in two tiebreaks. For Djokovic, this victory served as the crowning moment of his career, the missing piece to his puzzle, a moment where he finally felt “enough.”
Throughout Djokovic’s golden run, I couldn’t help but think of Serena. There were moments when she, too, seemed destined to lose to younger, faster opponents. Yet time and again, she would summon her best tennis, defying expectations and pulling out miraculous victories when it seemed impossible.
Both Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic have defined eras in tennis, their careers intertwined by their relentless pursuit of excellence and their unyielding will to win.
