Novak Djokovic’s mother, Dijana, once shared that she was heartbroken by her son crying inconsolably following a shocking defeat at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The Serb was eliminated in the opening round by Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro.
Djokovic was hoping to secure his second Olympic medal in Brazil, having previously won bronze in Beijing in 2008. However, his campaign came to an abrupt end when his rival, Del Potro, knocked him out of the tournament with a 7-6(4), 7-6(2) victory in the first round.
The former World No. 1 was visibly emotional as he left the court in Rio, breaking down in tears. The loss was particularly tough for him, as it mirrored his previous defeat to the Argentine in the 2012 London Olympics, where he also fell in straight sets during the bronze medal match.
Reflecting on her son’s disappointing Olympic campaign in Rio, Novak Djokovic’s mother, Dijana, shared in an Instagram Live session in 2020 that the defeat broke her heart.
She described his tears after the loss as the “greatest” she had ever seen him cry and revealed that he felt he had let down the people of his country.
“That defeat still breaks my heart,” Dijana said (via Informesinbandera.com). “The tears I saw on that occasion are the greatest I have ever seen.”
“He had everything to win gold but the wish was not granted. He had that problem in his elbow and he could not endure the pressure. He felt he had disappointed the people of Serbia,” she added.
Novak Djokovic on his Rio Olympics 2016 loss: “Not easy to handle…the wounds are still fresh”
Novak Djokovic pictured at the 2016 Rio Olympics (Source: Getty)
Novak Djokovic pictured at the 2016 Rio Olympics (Source: Getty)
Novak Djokovic told the press that his loss to Juan Martín del Potro in the first round of the 2016 Rio Olympics was one of the “toughest” defeats of his career. He added that the sting of this setback was intensified by the lingering pain from his earlier disappointment in London.
“No doubt this is one of the toughest losses in my life and in my career. It’s not easy to handle, especially now, just after the wounds are still fresh,” the Serb said.
“But, you know, you have to deal with it. It’s not the first or the last time that I have lost a tennis match. But the Olympic Games, yeah, it’s completely different,” he added.
While Djokovic expressed deep disappointment that his country was out of medal contention so early, he also felt a sense of happiness for his “good friend” Del Potro. He said he was glad to see the Argentine succeed after enduring a series of injury struggles.
“I’m very sad and disappointed from my side to go out in a tournament this early, but on the other hand, I’m glad a good friend of mine, and somebody who has struggled the last couple of years with injuries, is back and playing at this level,” the 24-time Major champion said.