Novak Djokovic will compete at the Tokyo Olympics

Novak Djokovic to play at Tokyo Olympics (Photo by AELTC/Simon Bruty - Pool/Getty Images)
Novak Djokovic to play at Tokyo Olympics (Photo by AELTC/Simon Bruty - Pool/Getty Images) /
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After initially expressing doubts over his participation for this year’s Olympics, Novak Djokovic has made the decision to play at the Tokyo Games.

Djokovic announced his decision to play at this year’s Games, by sharing a tweet that shows him video calling a young Japanese fan, to wish him on his sixth birthday.

https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/1415769633777410062

The announcement means that the Serbian, is now the only member of the “Big Three,” to participate at this year’s Games.

Roger Federer recently pulled out of the Tokyo Games, due to a knee injury he suffered during the grass court season.

Rafael Nadal has not been in action, since his semifinal loss to Djokovic, at this year’s Roland Garros. Nadal made his decision, in a bid to recover physically, after a taxing clay-court season and ultimately to “prolong” his career.

Novak Djokovic is a man on a mission

Djokovic goes to the Tokyo Games as an overwhelming favorite. Given his current form and what he’s set out to achieve, it is incredibly hard to envision someone being able to stop the Serb.

Djokovic is in the running to achieve the “Golden Slam” (winning all four majors, plus Olympic gold medal in a calendar year), something that has only been done once before, by German former great, Steffi Graf, back in 1988.

The Olympics, however, have not been very kind to Djokovic in recent times. He left the court in tears after losing to Argentine Juan Martín del Potro, in the opening round of Rio Olympics in 2016.

And with the matches at the Olympics being best-of-three sets, it does present a slightly better opportunity for the rest of the field to cause a potential upset.

It also remains to be seen how Djokovic and the rest of the field deals with the “no crowds” policy at the Tokyo Games, after playing in front of thousands of fans at Wimbledon.

For now, the only thing that one can be sure of heading into the Games, is that the tennis world is going to keep its eyes peeled for Djokovic and what he might possibly achieve on the hard courts at the Tokyo Games.

History beckons for Novak Djokovic.

dark. Next. Roger Federer releases worrying statement