Novak Djokovic recently secured a landmark 24th Grand Slam title. While the tennis world applauded the Serbian legend’s feat at the US Open, something was cooking behind the scenes in the player’s camp. Barely a week after ‘Djoker’ drew level with Margaret Court, a shocking revelation attracted attention. It came out that the World No. 1 had to make possibly one of the hardest decisions of his professional journey.

The Serbinator, fresh off his straight sets victory over Daniil Medvedev, will reportedly not have a key member of his team as he seeks to carry his form into the indoor hardcourt season. This individual has been with Novak Djokovic right from the days when attracting sponsors to the Serbian was a tough task.

Novak Djokovic parts ways with long-time agent/manager

There are rumors that Novak Djokovic is ending the partnership with his manager, Eduardo Artaldi. This news comes as a shocker to his fans who await further development on the matter. The decision to part ways with Artaldi, a key figure in Djokovic’s career, has left fans and pundits speculating about the cause of this abrupt change. However, the reasons for the split are still unknown at this moment.

Hours after the first tweet, Sasa Ozmo put up a post on X that seemed to give weight to the initial news. It said, “Can confirm this.”

Eduardo Artaldi, alongside his partner, Elena Cappellaro, played a central role in shaping Djokovic’s career and managing his professional affairs. Their combined expertise and dedication contributed significantly to the Serb’s remarkable journey in the tennis world, marked by multiple Grand Slam victories, a prolonged period of dominance atop the ATP rankings, and his rise to the top of the on-court earnings charts. It was not easy, though. Artaldi once spoke about how Djokovic had to work harder than the rest, both on and off the court.

“We have to be honest and Nole is very realistic in this point: he comes from a poor country, from Serbia. Obviously, he can’t get support from a company from his country,” said Artaldi to Sport360.

“And honestly the image of Serbia worldwide was not and still is not so great because of the war. So for him it was not easy at the beginning because I think he has to show 10 times more than others how good he is not just on court but outside the court to have a company interested in him.”

Novak Djokovic, under Artaldi’s management, did just that. He never looked back and developed a great bond with his manager. Now, with this split, the tennis world eagerly awaits further details on the circumstances and how it might impact the player’s future.

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Djokovic and his manager Eduardo Artaldi shared a great bond together

Over the years, the duo have shared a great bond. After winning the Australian Open back in 2008, Novak Djokovic joined hands with Eduardo Artaldi. Their relationship grew stronger, and they were spending most of their time together figuring out a way for Novak’s overall growth.

A manager is not only responsible for bringing in lucrative deals, but also for giving the player the best environment for his growth. Artaldi knew precisely the kind of player Novak was and he, along with Novak’s wife Jelena, created an environment that the Serbian needed.

“We try to be as professional as possible, but now our relationship is rather personal,” Artaldi said in an interview. “We live together 24/7 and these nine years together have been really intense. Sometimes we even pull each others’ ears. We basically live together. Elena and I try to create the atmosphere he needs, given how much time he spends around the world and away from his family.”

Thus, Artaldi’s absence would mean a huge blow for Novak Djokovic. However, with something already in his mind, Novak would be looking to find an ideal replacement for him. While the reasons for the departure still remain unknown, further developments might reveal something.

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