Tennis sensation Novak Djokovic achieved a historic career ‘Golden Slam’ by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in spectacular fashion to win a long-awaited Olympic title.
Djokovic, who has won a men’s record 24 majors and every trophy in the sport, won Olympic gold for the fifth time in Paris in 2024.
The 37-year-old reserved his greatest performance of the year for Paris, defeating French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-2).
“Everything I felt in that moment when I won surpassed everything I thought or hoped that it would,” Djokovic told the crowd. “Being on that court, hoisting the Serbian flag, singing the Serbian anthem, and wearing the gold around my neck, I don’t think anything beats that in terms of professional sports. It is without a doubt the most significant sporting achievement I have had.”
The Serbian is only the fifth tennis player to complete the ‘Golden Slam’ in singles, which includes all four majors and the Olympic title, following Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Andre Agassi, and Steffi Graf.
Following his Olympic victory, fans are wondering who is the ‘GOAT’ of tennis: Djokovic, Nadal, or Roger Federer. Fans have been fortunate to see the trio in action and compete against one another for years during the same time period. Despite all of the chatter over who is the best, an infographic table appears to have settled the debate.
| Comparing Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s success at the biggest tournaments in tennis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic | Rafael Nadal | Roger Federer | |
| Australian Open | 10 | 2 | 6 |
| Roland Garros | 3 | 14 | 1 |
| Wimbledon | 7 | 2 | 8 |
| US Open | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| ATP Tour Finals | 7 | 0 | 6 |
| Olympics | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Indian Wells | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Miami | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| Monte-Carlo | 2 | 11 | 0 |
| Rome | 6 | 10 | 0 |
| Madrid | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Toronto/Montreal | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| Cincinnati | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Shanghai | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Paris | 7 | 0 | 1 |
These are the 15 biggest tournaments in tennis.
Novak Djokovic has won each and every single one.
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal is currently missing 3 and Roger Federer retired missing 3 as well.
It hasn’t even been a question for years now, Novak Djokovic is clearly the GOAT. pic.twitter.com/bHLXS3VxMp
— Jason can’t stop smiling (@Certinfy) August 4, 2024
Novak Djokovic
66 titles at the 15 major tournaments
According to an infographic shared to X – formerly known as Twitter – Djokovic has won a title at every major tennis tournament, totaling 66. The table reveals that the Serbian has had the most success at the Australian Open, winning 10 finals.
His first title came in 2008, when he defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in a thrilling final, and his tenth in 2023, when he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner also enjoys playing on grass, having won Wimbledon seven times, as well as Paris and the ATP Tour Finals.
The list of accolades is endless for the 37-year-old. After finally achieving his dream of becoming an Olympic champion, it’s fair to say that Djokovic’s career is complete – with the graphic showing that he is the best player of the three aforementioned.
| Novak Djokovic’s Grand Slam singles results | |
|---|---|
| Australian Open | W (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023) |
| French Open | W (2016, 2021, 2023) |
| Wimbledon | W (2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022) |
| US Open | W (2011, 2015, 2018, 2023) |
Rafael Nadal
59 titles at the 15 major tournaments
Nadal has 59 titles throughout the 15 major tennis tournaments. While the number remains remarkable, it is still a long way behind Djokovic.
The 22-time Grand Slam winner is well-known for generating some of his most memorable moments on clay at the French Open. During his heyday, the Spaniard was a force to be reckoned with at Roland Garros, having won 14 titles there.
His first Roland Garros triumph came in 2005, and his most recent success was two years ago. The Spaniard has failed to win gold three times: in the ATP Tour Finals, in Miami, and in Paris. Nonetheless, he remains comfortably in second place and deserves all of the credit for his remarkable career.
| Rafael Nadal’s Grand Slam singles results | |
|---|---|
| Australian Open | W (2009, 2022) |
| French Open | W (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022) |
| Wimbledon | W (2008, 2010) |
| US Open | W (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019) |
Roger Federer
54 titles at the 15 major tournaments
