Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has lavished praise on Olympic gold medalist Novak Djokovic, highlighting the Serbian’s exceptional mindset, particularly during the final against Carlos Alcaraz.

Entering the Paris Olympics with a clear goal of securing the gold medal, Djokovic defeated opponents including Matthew Ebden, Rafael Nadal, Dominik Koepfer, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Lorenzo Musetti in straight sets to reach the final, where he faced Alcaraz.

At 37 years old, Djokovic triumphed over the in-form Spaniard 7-6(3), 7-6(2) on Court Philippe-Chatrier, claiming his place atop the podium. Remarkably, this victory came just eight and a half weeks after undergoing meniscus surgery on his right leg.

In an interview, Guardiola, who has previously managed FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich, expressed his admiration for Djokovic’s mentality during the final against Alcaraz.

Guardiola remarked, “You have to be so proud about Serbia. Listen, I don’t talk about Djokovic that is difficult to say. You know, alongside [Rafael] Nadal and Djokovic, what they have done is amazing. And Djokovic is still there. The mentality that he played [in] the final against Alcaraz, that’s the reason why the Olympic Games is something magnificent.”

With this victory, Djokovic joined an elite group as only the fifth player—after Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Nadal, and Serena Williams—to complete the Golden Slam by winning all four Majors and the Olympic gold medal in singles.

Manchester City performance and stats

Manchester City is currently 3rd in the Premier League with 3 points.

It has a positive goal difference after scoring 2 goals and conceding 0.​

Manchester City will play the next match in Premier League against Ipswich Town on Saturday 24th of August in Manchester.​