Novak Djokovic confirmed he will compete at the Tokyo Olympics, keeping alive his chances of winning a historic Golden Slam

• Novak Djokovic has confirmed he will compete at this summer's Tokyo Olympics.
• It keeps alive his hopes of winning a historic Golden Slam.
• Steffi Graf is the only player who has ever won four Grand Slams and an Olympic gold in the same season.

Novak Djokovic has confirmed he will compete at this summer's Tokyo Olympics, keeping alive his chances of winning a historic Golden Slam.

A Golden Slam requires a player to win an Olympic gold medal in the same season where they also won all four Grand Slams.

Australia's Steffi Graf is the only player in history to have managed it, though Djokovic is currently well on course to follow her this year.

The Serbian has already won the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon this year - meaning he now only needs to win an Olympic gold and the US Open to complete the set.

"I booked my flight for Tokyo and will proudly be joining #TeamSerbia for the Olympics," Djokovic said in a tweet on Thursday.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner previously said he was "50-50" about whether he would take part.

Djokovic will be the clear favorite to win gold in the men's singles this summer in Tokyo.

A host of the world's other top players have opted out of competing at the Games, including Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem, and Roger Federer.

Nadal tweeted last month that he made the decision to drop out in order to rest after a tough clay court season, while Thiem withdrew through injury.

Federer announced on Wednesday he would not be traveling to Tokyo after suffering a setback in his rehab from two knee surgeries he underwent last year.

"During the grass-court season, I unfortunately experienced a setback with my knee and have accepted that I must withdraw from the Tokyo Olympic Games," said Federer, who lost in the quarterfinal of Wimbledon to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz earlier this month.

"I am greatly disappointed, as it has been an honour and highlight of my career each time I have represented Switzerland. I have already begun rehabilitation in the hopes of returning to the tour later this summer," he said.

"I wish the entire Swiss team the best of luck and I will be rooting hard from afar."

The tennis tournament at the Olympic Games begins on July 24.