Watch: Novak Djokovic shares video to confirm Tokyo Olympics participation
Djokovic has given himself the chance to become the first male player to win the golden Grand Slam
The golden Grand Slam is in sight for Novak Djokovic, after the Serbian player confirmed his participation at the Tokyo Olympics later this month.
Initially, Djokovic was unsure about his participation owing to the new restrictions imposed by the island nation amidst the ongoing pandemic. The world number one confirmed his decision after a video call with a young Japanese tennis fan.
"Cannot disappoint my little friend Koujiro. I booked my flight for Tokyo and will proudly be joining #TeamSerbia for the Olympics," Djokovic wrote on Twitter alongside the video of him wishing Koujiro a happy birthday.
"I am very proud to pack for Tokyo and join our national team in the fight for the brightest medals on the Olympic arenas. For me, the game for Serbia has always been a special joy and motivation and I will do my best to make us all happy! Let's go."
The 34-year-old has won the first three majors of the year - the Australian Open, French Open and the Wimbledon. This keeps alive his chances of becoming the first man to win the golden Grand Slam. The only person to achieve the feat thus far, is women's tennis legend Steffi Graf, who won the gold medal and all four Grand Slams in 1988.
Djokovic joined "Big Three" rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 men's singles Grand Slam titles when he claimed his sixth Wimbledon title earlier this month. The Serb also became the first player to qualify for the year ending Nitto ATP Finals following his triumph at SW19.
Djokovic's best result at the summer games was at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when he won the Bronze medal after defeating American James Blake. He will be hoping to go two better this time around and join Big Three rival Nadal, who won the singles gold medal in Beijing and a doubles gold medal in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
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