5 players who have completed the Career Golden Slam ft. Novak Djokovic, Steffi Graf
Novak Djokovic fulfilled the last remaining goal of his illustrious and record-breaking tennis career by winning the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. With this achievement, the Serb became the latest player to complete a Career Golden Slam (singles).
A Career Golden Slam refers to winning all four Grand Slam titles and the Olympic gold medal at least once. Accomplishing the feat is among the most difficult tasks in tennis. Several greats such as Roger Federer, Martina Navratilova, Boris Becker, and Venus Williams, have been unable to do it.
Let's take a look at the five players who have completed the Career Golden Slam in singles in the Open Era:
#5 Novak Djokovic
With his gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Novak Djokovic is the latest entrant on this list. The Serb began his Career Golden Slam journey with a win at the 2008 Australian Open. He won Wimbledon and US Open for the first time in 2011. He had to wait a while for his first Roland Garros title, but ultimately got it in 2016 to complete his Career Slam.
An Olympic gold medal was the only missing piece of Djokovic's Golden Slam puzzle. It evaded him for a long time, but he fulfilled the dream in Paris on Sunday. As the top seed, the 37-year-old did not drop a set throughout the tournament. In the final, he defeated second seed Carlos Alcaraz in two tiebreakers.
#4 Serena Williams
Serena Williams became the fourth player to complete a Career Golden Slam when she defeated Maria Sharapova to win her only singles gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. The American won her maiden title at the Australian Open in 2003, the French Open in 2002, the Wimbledon Championships in 2002, and the US Open in 1999.
In addition, Williams is the only player to complete a Career Golden Slam in singles as well as doubles. She won three gold medals in doubles with her sister Venus: Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008, London 2012. The sisters also teamed up to win 14 doubles Grand Slam titles.
#3 Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal is the youngest player to complete a Career Golden Slam. The Spaniard began his Golden Slam journey with a win at the 2005 French Open. He then emerged victorious at the 2008 Wimbledon Championships and took home the singles gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Nadal won his maiden Australian Open title in 2009. He achieved the Career Golden Slam after beating Djokovic in the final of the US Open in 2010. The Spaniard was 24 years old when he completed the Career Golden Slam.
#2 Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi is the first man to achieve a Career Golden Slam. He accomplished the feat after winning his first and only French Open title in 1999. His Career Grand Slam set has the 1995 Australian Open, the 1992 Wimbledon, and the 1994 US Open.
Agassi made his nation proud at his home Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. As the top seed, he defeated Sergi Bruguera of Spain to become the first and only American man to win bag the singles gold medal.
#1 Steffi Graf
Steffi Graf was the first player to win all four Major titles and the Olympic gold medal. The German legend won all five tournaments in her monumental 1988 season, becoming the only player to have a Calendar Career Golden Slam. In the finals of the Grand Slams, Graf beat Chris Evert at the Australian Open, Natasha Zvereva at the Roland Garros, Martina Navratilova at the Wimbledon Championships, and Gabriela Sabatini at the US Open.
At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Graf once again faced Argentina's Sabatini and won in straight sets to claim her only gold medal at the event. The German bagged her second Olympic medal, silver, at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.