In the Paris Plympcs media day the Serbian champion also spoke about a possible 2nd round against Rafael Nadal
It was impossible to think that the Big 3 could be competitive forever, lasting forever. Maybe it was just a huge illusion to think that Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer could take the court perpetually. The brutal reality arrived initially with Federer’s retirement, in 2022. It continued with Rafael Nadal’s physical problems and is continuing with Djokovic’s negative season. However, the Serbian champion has marked this event in red on the calendar for some time and in Paris he will do his best to realize his great dream: giving a gold medal to Serbia.
The Serb was not particularly lucky with the draw: already in the second round there could be an incredible match – the 60th – against his historic rival Rafael Nadal. Djokovic talked about the possibility of meeting Nadal, during the Paris Olympics media day.
“I am aware that an tennis Era is ending. I think my career is also coming to an end, but I believe that there are and will be tennis players capable of taking on the burden of being the best. It would be exciting to play against Nadal in the second round. I am very excited. I think the Olympic Games are a very important event. I can’t wait to represent my country. I have great expectations for this tournament. I lost in the semifinals in Tokyo and I will try to improve on the results of three years ago. The tennis calendar is very busy. I decided to play Wimbledon despite the meniscus problem also to prepare for this tournament. I am sure that I will be able to show my worth. I feel more ready than at Wimbledon. I had many opportunities to win gold and now I have to start taking advantage of them. I think I will adapt immediately to the conditions of Roland Garros since we played there two months ago,” he explained.
Novak Djokovic sent a nice message to Jannik Sinner, out of the Olympic tournament due to tonsillitis.
“Especially this year he has played many matches at a very high level and he is also very young. He can improve a lot physically. I understand his decision not to participate in the Games. If he is not 100% it is right, also out of respect for his country, that he stays at home. I hope he recovers as quickly as possible,” said the Serbian champion.
Djokovic, unlike his previous experiences at the Olympics, decided not to stay in the Olympic village.
“One of the reasons is privacy. I visited the village when I arrived, but I preferred to stay in private to concentrate and avoid any distractions,” he added.
Sinner had to give up the Paris 2024 Olympic Games due to – as mentioned – tonsillitis. The ATP number 1 expressed his disappointment on Instagram for the decision that the medical staff wisely advised him to make, considering the rest of the season and his personal health.
“I am saddened to inform you that unfortunately I will not be able to participate in the Paris Olympic Games. After a good week of training on clay I started to feel unwell. I spent a couple of days resting and during the visit the doctor found tonsillitis and strongly advised me not to play. This is a huge disappointment for me,”wrote the Italian on social media.
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