Viral social media post alleges that media censored Novak Djokovic's display of faith

A recent viral post on the social media platform X sparked debate as it alleged that mainstream media censored tennis legend Novak Djokovic. It happened for his public display of Christian faith following his gold medal victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The post was shared by a fan account supporting former US President Donald Trump, who is in the midst of his 2024 presidential campaign, and quickly gained traction online.

The post centers on Djokovic’s emotional celebration after defeating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in a closely contested gold medal match, winning 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) on August 4. With this victory, Djokovic achieved his final career milestone, fulfilling his Olympic dreams.

Overcome with emotion, Djokovic fell to his knees on the clay court at Stade Roland Garros, made the sign of the cross, kissed the court, and pointed to the heavens in gratitude. A video capturing this heartfelt moment went viral again after being reposted on October 25, with claims that media outlets intentionally avoided covering his religious expression.

Here is the viral post:

Novak Djokovic made the sign of the cross and thanked God on his knees after his victory.

The mainstream media censored this! Let's make it go VIRAL! pic.twitter.com/HWQHEixKiY

— Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 News (@DonaldTNews) October 24, 2024

 "Novak Djokovic made the sign of the cross and thanked God on his knees after his victory. The mainstream media censored this! Let's make it go VIRAL!" read the post’s caption. Although no evidence substantiates the alleged media blackout, the post resonated with followers, echoing sentiments that the tennis star's religious gestures have not always been widely showcased in mainstream sports media.

'I take everything into consideration', says Novak Djokovic 

Djokovic, who has previously been open about his faith, expressed that winning the Olympic gold medal was his most cherished achievement, even after a record-breaking career filled with Grand Slam victories. "When I take everything into consideration, this probably is the biggest sporting success I've ever had in my career," he shared, reflecting on his journey since first winning an Olympic bronze medal in 2008.

Djokovic, at 37, managed to overcome younger talent in a hard-fought match, symbolizing a historic victory not only for himself but for Serbian sports. Despite an illustrious career that includes 24 Grand Slam titles and holding the World No. 1 ranking for a record 428 weeks, Djokovic viewed his Olympic gold as a crowning moment.