Novak Djokovic has finally done justice to a long-time dream! The Serbian superstar earned laurels for clinching his maiden gold medal at the Paris Olympics. While it was natural for Nole to make the most of the quadrennial event, some fans disregarded the importance of the Paris summit clash to Djokovic before he walked out on Court Philippe Chatrier. They have now suffered a blowback from a former ATP professional.

After thwarting Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz to claim the only acclaim missing from his impressive resume, gold medalist Yevgeny Kafelnikov said, “It was the best scenario.“ However, he wasn’t impressed with Djokovic’s fans. Notably, before contesting in the highly-anticipated duel with the Spaniard, fans cited that the “Olympics were not important“ to the 37-year-old. Now that the Serb pocketed the golden glory, they seemingly turned turtle. This behavior wasn’t welcomed by Kafelnikov.

In an exclusive interview with ‘Tennis Majors,’ the Russian star was notably irked by Djokovic fans. While reiterating the importance of Olympic showdowns, the former World No. 1 highlighted that his take on Nole’s gold medal match was unerring. “I tweeted the day before the match that this final was the most important match of Novak Djokovic’s career. I was sure about it. If Novak had lost on Sunday, he would have regretted it all his life. He won and proved my comments true afterward.”

He later voiced the plight of Djokovic’s fans after learning about the gold medal’s significance from the Serb himself. “It’s so funny seeing Novak’s fans on social media now – before, they were saying the Olympics were not important, but now they find it important, saying that it was necessary for him to win it.“ For the unversed, Yevgeny Kafelnikov is a two-time Grand Slam champion. The Russian’s reasoning behind the situation carries weight because he bagged a singles gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Moreover, the Serb also voiced the notability of fetching an elusive gold for his nation. He was ecstatic, turning every emotion upside down with this triumph!

Novak Djokovic pens a heartfelt message for Serbia after earning the Olympic gold

Djokovic was unable to contain his emotions after realizing his Olympic dream. A euphoric Nole later dedicated an emotional note to his country. Being the true patriot that he is, the 37-year-old dedicated his gold medal to Serbia. “This medal, these moments, this life—none of it would have been possible without your unwavering support. This is because of you. This is for you,” read his Instagram post.

Djokovic also credited his countrymen for always believing in him, a blessing which, in turn, enabled him to decorate his nation with the feat. “I could never give up on the dream of winning this gold medal, just as the people of Serbia never gave up on me. Together, we believed in the impossible. Although I am the one who holds this medal, I want every Serb to know that it belongs to all of us.”

The 24-time Major winner is now reaping the celebrations of his latest conquest. After engaging in an exhaustive campaign in Paris, the Serb is taking some time off to recover. He will be likely seen in action at the Cincinnati Open, where he will aim to conjure a noteworthy performance for his title defense!