Novak Djokovic may be rock-solid on the court, but behind the scenes, his team dynamics have been anything but steady. The Serbian Maestro has not added a permanent coach to his team after splitting up with Goran Ivanisevic in March this year. Ivanisevic and Djokovic had been together since 2018, winning several Grand Slams. Since then, discussions about the absence of a permanent coach have been floating in the tennis corridors. However, it seems that Djokovic is now making a great addition to his team ahead of the next season.
Taking to X, a user claimed that the Serbian star is in talks of adding someone new to his team. The user also quoted Viktor Troicki, Nole’s compatriot and former Serbian player himself, who reportedly said, “I heard that something is being prepared with a new coach, with a big name.”
“I am glad that Novak stated that he is 100 percent starting preparations for the new season,” Troicki told Sport Klub. “We saw each other briefly, and I even heard that something was brewing with a new coach, with a big name. I don’t know anything about that. That’s the gossip I heard yesterday, I didn’t hear from him.”
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🚨 Viktor Troicki, ami de Djokovic: «J’ai entendu dire que quelque chose se préparait avec un nouveau coach, avec un grand nom.»
À votre avis, qui?
Retour de Becker, ou Vajda?
Agassi?
McEnroe?
Lendl?
Navratilova?
Federer?
Borg?Ça va spéculer sévère. pic.twitter.com/z710JGicft
— Benoit Maylin (@BenoitMaylin) November 16, 2024
While Troicki wasn’t a direct source for the Djokovic rumors, his experience as Serbia’s Davis Cup captain provides insight into the type of coach Djokovic may seek. The 38-year-old believes Djokovic will prioritize hiring an elite former player, regardless of their coaching background. Troicki continued: “Honestly, I’m also guessing because I have no information and no idea who it could be. Again, he will be looking for a big name with whom he can share experiences. So I think it will be an impressive name….but someone of great reputation.” Remember, Nole has created some confusion situation this year as far as his team was concerned.
After parting ways with Ivanisevic, Djokovic joined forces with Nenad Zimonjic. However, he revealed that he was just a temporary or ‘pseudo’ coach from whom the Serbian great was seeking help as a mentor. “Since my split with Goran, I never confirmed that I have a permanent coach,” Djokovic had said earlier. “I said that Nenad was there to help me as a friend and as a mentor, as someone who I regard important in my life,” he added. Adding to the confusion, he also joined hands with Boris Bošnjaković, who also was a temporary arrangement for Nole.
“Boris is a part of my technical team when it comes to the analysis of my rivals, matches, and my own game. He is going to be my tennis coach in Paris; as for what comes after this tournament, I don’t have a long-term coaching solution at the moment,” he said. But now, the latest rumors suggest that Djokovic has seemingly found a solution and will partner with some iconic face soon.
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Could Djokovic's new coach be the game-changer he needs, or is he better off solo?
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Interestingly, the phase of no coach did not just raise uncertainties for the fans, but the star player himself who even considered going forward without a coach at all.
“Having no coach is also an option,” When Novak Djokovic made true admission about his coaching woes
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Novak Djokovic has proved his dominance on the courts over the years. With 24- Grand Slam along with an Olympic Gold Medal under his belt, the Serbian star has witnessed the thick and thin of the sport and has partnered with several coaches throughout his career. His illustrious record and long journey in the arena not only made him a confident athlete, but also gave him the motivation to think about going forward without a full-time coach.
Speaking in an interaction at the 25th Laureus World Sports Awards in April this year, the star player opened up on his plans to hire a new coach. “I’m not rushing. I feel like playing tennis over 20 years and having a lot of different teams and coaches, it’s not like I think I don’t need a coach at all,” Djokovic said.
While he agreed that having a coach on the team is a benefit for any player, he highlighted his confidence in even going ahead without a permanent coach, if needed. “I think I’m in the stage of my career where I can afford to maybe think having no coach is also an option,” Nole said.
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While the Serbian player has not spoken about any new additions so far, it would be interesting to see how true the rumors are. Who will be Djokovic’s new team member if the rumors turn out to be true? Well, that remains to be seen.
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Could Djokovic's new coach be the game-changer he needs, or is he better off solo?