‘You Get In if You Win a Slam’ – Andre Agassi’s Former Coach Gets Real as Controversy Brews Around Novak Djokovic’s ATP Finals Qualification

The ATP Tour Finals is here, and a controversial topic arose around the competition. Should Novak Djokovic play in the tournament? Due to his vaccination status, Djokovic has missed out on the Australian Open and the US Open this year. In the Grand Slam events he was allowed to participate in, he had a quarterfinal run at Roland Garros and clinched the title in dominating fashion at Wimbledon 2022.

Since Wimbledon had no ranking points this year, the 35-year-old could not have qualified for the ATP Finals. However, his Wimbledon title helped him secure a place in the year-end championship. Ever since the announcement, debates about the qualification of players like Nick Kyrgios and Cameron Norrie, who did well at Wimbledon, have risen among fans and pundits. When a renowned journalist questioned the Serb’s place, the former tennis star and coach of Andre Agassi, Brad Gilbert, explained the rules behind it.

Brad Gilbert explains the reason behind Djokovic’s ATP Finals qualification

British Journalist Mike Dickson was one of the many people who were not happy with Djokovic getting the advantage of his Wimbledon title while other good performers in the tournament didn’t. He took to his Twitter account and wrote about the same.

“Cam Norrie, Nick Kyrgios, and Taylor Fritz are among those wondering – quite understandably – why their Wimbledon efforts counted for nothing. while Djokovic’s SW19 title has near guaranteed him a place at ATP Finals this month,” he tweeted.

Explaining the reason, Andre Agassi’s former coach Brad Gilbert replied, “Djoker didn’t get the race points. He is in top 20 and you get in if u win a slam.”

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As Gilbert explains clearly, there’s no foul play or favoritism in the qualification of Novak Djokovic. The rules were there in place and the ATP just followed them.

Novak Djokovic says his experience helps him perform better

Serbian tennis great Novak Djokovic has a terrific record against most of his top-ranked opponents. The 35-year-old is still going strong and is arguably one of the best players on the Tour right now. Speaking of the reason behind his success and current form, the 21-time Grand Slam champion said that his experience helps him.

Now that the younger generation has taken over, there are not many players as experienced as Djokovic. The Wimbledon 2022 winner is currently participating in the Paris Masters. The defending champion got a first-round bye and won his second round match against Maxime Cressy in straight sets.

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With not much time left for the ATP Finals now, the Serb would love to go into the tournament with another successful campaign. Can Djokovic win the ATP Finals? Let us know in the comments.