Novak Djokovic will be competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but he won't have a traditional 'Olympic experience' in the French capital.
For many athletes, competing at the Olympic Games includes staying at the Olympic Village, meeting fellow athletes, and enjoying their time in the city where the Olympics take place.
That's one of the reasons why Carlos Alcaraz made the decision to stay at the Olympic Village for what is his first Olympic experience. However, the 37-year-old Serbian is in a completely different situation.
For Djokovic, it will be his fifth participation at the Olympic Games, and while he stayed at the Olympic Village the last time he competed at the Olympics, in 2021, he made a different decision this year.
"I decided to stay at the Olympic Village in Tokyo, I might have... one or two nights before the start of the tournament, but I also stayed somewhere else for the tournament because this one, somehow I feel that it is more correct for me and that it is better for me and for my preparations."
The 24-time major winner really wants to win a gold Olympic medal for his country, and staying away from thousands of athletes, keeping the peace of his mind and fully focusing on the task at hand could be also attributed to his incredible desire to succeed.
"I simply wanted to have more privacy, more peace and somehow focus on my routine and preparation for the tournament, which is of course the highest priority."
On his gold medal journey, there will be many players standing in his way, but mostly players younger than him, as there aren't many athletes older than the Serbian in the tennis competition.
Jannik Sinner won't compete in Paris as he withdrew from the Olympic tournament, but Carlos Alcaraz will be in the French capital, and Djokovic is aware of the challenge that comes with the Spaniard's presence.
"Of course, there’s this change of generation and you have Alcaraz and Sinner currently that are two best players in the world, deservedly. They are playing on a very high level, particularly this year. They’re very young, they’re going to carry this sport in the future."
Still, this isn't the first generation change that the Serbian has been part of. As a 37-year-old player, he saw many tennis greats come and go, and his longevity just shows how incredible his tennis journey has been.
"But I’ve been present for the shift or change of many generations in the last 15 years and I like to see that. Of course, the end is nearer than the beginning for me personally as well but I still enjoy competition and will keep going until I don’t enjoy it anymore."
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Djokovic will start in the first round against Matthew Ebden, who entered the tournament as an alternate, and hasn't played a singles match since 2022. Should the Serbian succeed, he could take on his big rival Rafael Nadal in the second round of the tournament.