Novak Djokovic expressed immense satisfaction after finally overcoming his Olympic semi-final hurdle to secure a place in the final. On August 2, Djokovic defeated Lorenzo Musetti with a commanding score of 6-4, 6-2, ending a nearly two-decade-long wait to advance past the semi-finals at the Olympics.
The Serbian tennis star, who has faced notable defeats in previous Olympic semi-finals against Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and Alexander Zverev, has now set himself up for a chance to win a gold medal. His only previous Olympic medal was a bronze at Beijing 2008.
In his on-court interview, Djokovic reflected on his prolonged struggle: “I have been waiting for this for almost 20 years. I’ve played four Olympic Games, this is my fifth, and I’ve never passed the semi-finals. I lost three semi-finals in my first four Olympic Games. I managed to overcome this big hurdle and it feels incredible.”
Despite battling injury concerns and facing a strong opponent in Musetti, Djokovic focused on staying present and maintaining his concentration. “I just tried to be in the present moment. I played against a player who is in great form and really came out firing from both ends. I just tried to maintain focus and do what I have to do,” he stated.
Djokovic will face Carlos Alcaraz in the final on August 4, a rematch of last month’s Wimbledon final, where Alcaraz emerged victorious. This will be their seventh encounter, with the head-to-head currently tied at 3-3.
