HIGHLIGHTS

• Djokovic’s bid to win Olympic Gold came to an end on Friday, lost to Zverev in semi-final
• Djokovic will be inaction in men’s singles and mixed doubles bronze medal matches
• Djokovic has won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon in 2021

Novak Djokovic looked unbeatable on the tour. Whenever he was under the pump, he found ways to come back and pull off some magical victories. After having won the Australian Open, French Open and the Wimbledon, the Serb had headed to the Tokyo Olympics, bidding to become only 2nd tennis player after Steffi Graf to win the Golden Slam.

However, his bid to become the first man to complete a Golden Slam – win all 4 Grand Slam titles and the Olympic Gold medal in the same year – ended with the semi-final defeat to Alexander Zverev on Friday. The top seed and the World No. 1 was stunned by the German star 6-1, 3-6, 6-1.

Tokyo Olympics: Day 8 Live Coverage

With his Golden Slam bid over for at least another three years, Novak Djokovic rested his head on Alexander Zverev’s shoulder as his German opponent and friend consoled him.

Djokovic will now face Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in Saturday’s bronze medal match. Djokovic also lost the mixed doubles semi-final with Nina Stojonovic. The Serbian pair will be playing the mixed doubles bronze medal later on Saturday against Australia’s Peers John and Ash Barty.

“I feel terrible right now in every sense but tomorrow hopefully with a fresh start I can recover and win at least one medal for my country,” Djokovic said.

“I was leading a set then a break and he managed to turn the match around. He served huge, was attacking, and I was not getting any free points on my first serves,” he added.

“To play someone of his quality, of his level, it’s just too tough to win a match (like that). It’s just sport. He played better.”

‘I told him he is the GOAT’

Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev consoled the World No.1, saying he will remain the greatest of all-time despite not managing to win an Olympic Gold medal so far.

“I told him that he’s the greatest of all time. I know that he was chasing history,” Zverev said.

Djokovic, the top-ranked Serb who had seemed invincible in all of the biggest tournaments this year, lost to Zverev 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 Friday in the semifinals of the tennis tournament at the Tokyo Olympics.

“He won 20 Grand Slams. So you can’t have everything.

“At the end of the day he’s the greatest of all time, because he’s going to win the most Grand Slams, he’s going to win the most Master Series, he’s going to be the longest at the world No. 1, and I’m sure 99% that this is the case when it’s all said and done,” he added.

Zverev will take on Russia’s Karen Khachanov as he bids to create history for Germany in the gold medal match.