Three down, two to go. Novak Djokovic may be playing it cool, but he is fully aware of the hand of history which is increasingly upon his shoulder as he prepares for the next instalment of his audacious bid for a Golden Slam.

World No. 1 Djokovic will begin his quest for Olympic gold on Saturday when he faces Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien in the first round of the men’s singles on Centre Court at Ariake Tennis Park.

Having clinched all three Grand Slam titles up for grabs so far this season, such sublime form has suggested the Serbian is primed to take a seismic stride towards the most coveted and career-defining achievement of them all.

While Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams have all achieved career Golden Slams, Steffi Graf, who swept the board at all four majors and the Seoul Olympics in 1988, is the only player to have achieved a calendar Golden Slam.

With designs on following in the footsteps of Graf, Djokovic, who is making his fourth appearance at an Olympic Games here in Tokyo, appears ready to ride the wave of expectation.

“I feel great. Physically and mentally, I’m ready to perform at my best,” said the 34-year-old. “I’m going to be ready to fight – I’m the type of player who plays better the more the tournament advances, so I believe in myself. 

“I’ve had arguably the best Grand Slam season in my sport so far, winning three out of three Grand Slams, so I could not have a better preparation and lead-up to the Olympic Games than I’ve had this year. Hopefully, I can have another great tournament. 

“As for the pressure, in sport, all of us are aware of what pressure means and it is something we are not afraid of. However, the older you are, the more experience and the more matches you have behind you.

“Your self-confidence usually grows because you are aware of the challenges that you are facing and that you have met these challenges before.”

Topping the Olympic podium is one of the few accomplishments missing from Djokovic’s illustrious career CV, with his only medal from his three previous showings at the Games being the bronze he claimed in Beijing in 2008.

Djokovic clinched third place in the Chinese capital following a straight sets defeat of American James Blake, having lost out in the semi-finals to eventual champion Nadal.

Four years later in London, defeat to Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro meant he missed out on a second bronze, while in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 he succumbed to the same opponent in the first round. The sense of unfinished business is palpable.

“I was nervous in previous Olympics, and it is obviously normal that when I represent my country and I’m playing for the Serbian Olympic team at the Olympics, it is different,” he added.

“But I’m not also going to consider these Olympics as a normal tournament – I’m very aware that a lot of people are expecting the best from me and hoping I will have the best result.

“I’m going to use a cliché and say I’m going to take it day by day and focus on the next round.”

Even though there is a highly personal crusade facing Djokovic in Tokyo, the sense of team spirit fostered by the Games is not lost on the 20-time Grand Slam champion.

“It’s an honour to be part of the Serbian Olympic team once again,” he said. “I’m happy to have been at an Olympic Games three times so far in my career and to have had the fortune to win a bronze medal back in 2008. It feels like quite a long time ago right now. 

“The Olympic experience is a unique experience. It is the most special and most historic sports event in the history of sport.

“Being an individual athlete, I represent my country everywhere I go, but being part of the Olympic Games feels like being in a team. Even though I’m by myself on the tennis court, I still feel this team experience is there.

“Representing your country, being part of the collective and part of the team is something that I treasure. It is something that encourages me and gives me a lot of confidence and a lot of great energy for my own performance. 

“The support of the teammates and everyone involved in the Serbian team is always there. That gives you wings to perform at your best and to try and reach the biggest heights in your respective sport.”

Djokovic has never previously drawn awords with world No. 139 Dellien, who lost his only previous match against a player at the summit of the rankings in straight sets – against Nadal in the opening round of the 2020 Australian Open.

It is Djokovic’s belief that Dellien will adopt a particular mindset as players with his ranking “usually don’t have anything to lose”. For Dellien, who received financial assistance through the Grand Slam Development Fund in 2018, facing such an illustrious opponent is nothing but an opportunity to be seized.

“Some say it’s bad luck that I get the No. 1 in the world in the first round,” he wrote on social media.

“I think and tell them that I entered the Olympic Games at the last minute, when I didn’t even think I was going to play, and it turns out that I am now fulfilling my dream.

“And in case something was missing to make it really crazy, I get to play against the No. 1 in the world and one of the best in history. Is this bad luck? For me, it is the best dream of my life.”