The 2024 Paris Olympics are on. And with every passing day, we hear history being created by the athletes. India’s star badminton shuttler Lakshya Sen reached where no Indian had reached before. The World No. 19 reached the semi-finals of the 2024 Paris Olympics where he lost to World No. 2 and 2020 Tokyo Olympics Gold medal winner Viktor Axelsen.
Last week also saw another athlete make history. Novak Djokovic, who has won almost everything there is in the world of Tennis. But alas, one thing was missing from his trophy cabinet- The Olympic gold medal. And boy did he win it in style. The Serbian, who has won a record 24 Grand Slam men’s singles titles defeated Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the finals to land his hands on the coveted gold medal. Thereby winning the Golden Slam.
But he isn’t the only one to do so. Four Tennis players before him have already won the Golden Slam. For the unversed, a Golden Slam is earned when an individual player wins all four Grand Slams (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open) and an Olympic gold medal in singles.
Can you guess all the four names? Drop your answers in the comments.
Tennis players who achieved a “Singles Career Golden Slam”
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Steffi Graf
Steffi Graf, a Tennis legend became the first player to win the Career Golden Slam when she won all the Grand Slam titles as well as the Olympic Gold back in 1988. She was just 19 years old when she achieved the incredible feat of winning a Career Golden Slam. She is so far the only tennis player to win all four Grand Slams and the Olympic gold medal in the same season.
In her professional career, Graf won 22 Grand Slam titles in a 16-year professional career, the second-most behind Serena Williams (23) since the start of the Open Era in 1968. Graf was ranked world No. #1 for 377 weeks and won a total of 107 career titles.
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Andre Agassi
Another Tennis legend makes the list. Andre Agassi became the first man to get the title of Career Golden Slam way back in 1999. The American is a decorated Tennis player winning the Grand Slams a huge eight-time and is an Olympic Gold medallist.
But things weren’t always hunky dory for the American. In 1997, the then-world champion witnessed a decline due to injuries and a drug controversy. His career appeared to be all but over, but he stormed back into action and accomplished a feat very few have managed to do – achieving the Career Golden Slam.
The American started his journey of winning the Career Golden Slam by winning the 1992 Wimbledon where he defeated Goran Ivanišević in the finals; thereby winning his first ever major title.
He followed it by winning the 1994 US Open where he defeated Germany’s Michael Stich in the final. The third in the line was the 1995 Australian Open where he did the unthinkable, defeating the defending champion Pete Sampras in the final.
And then came the 1996 Summer Olympics held in the United States. The legendary star playing in his home conditions defeated Spain’s Sergi Bruguera in the final. The win gave Agassi four of the five title components needed to be called a “Career Golden Slam” winner.
And finally, the time came when he won the last of the titles. Andre Agassi defeated Andriy Medvedev in the final, 1–6, 2–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 to win the men’s singles tennis title at the 1999 French Open. With the win, Agassi became the first man and the second human to win the Career Golden Slam title.
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Rafael Nadal
Spain’s maverick Rafael Nadal started his journey towards a Career Golden Slam by first capturing the 2005 French Open where he defeated Argentina’s Mariano Puerta in the final, He followed it next by winning two titles in one year. In 2008, the Spaniard defeated Chile’s Fernando González in the final to win the gold medal in men’s singles at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Doubling the celebrations, he won the 2008 Wimbledon defeating five-time defending champion Roger Federer in the finals.
Nadal continued his title-winning streak; winning the 2009 Australian Open and defeating Roger Federer in the final. And then completed his gauntlet by winning the 2010 US Open defeating Novak Djokovic in the final.
The Spaniard accomplished the feat at the age of 24 years and thereby became the youngest male player in the Open Era to achieve this feat.
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Serena Williams
Not at all shocking to see this name, right? Serena Williams is America’s most decorated superstar. The second female to win the Career Golden Slam, Williams has won a total of 23 Grand Slams including 7 Wimbledon and 7 Australian Open titles.
Serena completed her career Golden Slam in singles at the age of 30. She had already won all four majors by the time she was 21, capturing her first US Open in 1999, her first Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles in 2002 and her first Australian Open in 2003, but she didn’t finish her collection until the 2012 London Olympics.
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Novak Djokovic
The Serbian became the latest and oldest entrant in this list when he defeated Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medal match.
Djokovic began his entry into Career Golden Slam by winning the 2008 Australian Open where he defeated France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final. He followed it with a massive year in 2011 where he won the Wimbledon and US Open respectively.
Djokovic had to wait a long time to get his hands on the French Open, the only major title missing from his cabinet. In the 2016 French Open, the Serbian defeated Andy Murray in the final to win the prestigious title.
