Although tennis may be an individual sport with fierce rivalries, bromances are equally common. Take the example of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal who shared a close bond on and off the court despite perpetually competing for the top spot in rankings. However, another tennis duo, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer’s rumored collaboration has had a different talking point.

A few days ago, Novak Djokovic shocked the community by splitting with his long-time coach, Goran Ivanisevic. This was the effect of the Serb’s not-so-good start to the 2024 season, without a single title in his name by March end. Days after their separation, it was rumored (or just wishful thinking?) that Federer was going to fill Ivanisevic’s shoes for Djokovic. Reacting to this, former American tennis player Alexandra Stevenson made a bizarre comparison to the NFL.

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer – A match made in heaven?

With one of the most intriguing rivalries in the last couple of decades, the duo has faced each other numerous times on the court. Recently, Stevenson appeared on the Serving Aces podcast where she compared the potential link-up of Federer and Djokovic to Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. She revealed, “You know what, if they (Roger and Novak) came together, they’d be the Travis and Taylor of the tennis world but coach and player instead of dating? Yeah, I’m comparing it, kind of funny, but I’ve talked about an explosion of events.” 

Apparently, this rumor was dropped on 1st April by a sports publication. It suggested that Federer had accepted Djokovic’s request to join his coaching team in an advisory role till the end of this year. As it turned out, none of the two had confirmed this and it turned out to be just an April Fool’s Day prank.

Meanwhile, things didn’t go as planned for Novak Djokovic and Ivanisevic this year. The on-court disappointment eventually led to their split, although it seems Djokovic continues to maintain his friendship with his former coach. Interestingly, Ivanisevic hinted about Djokovic’s next coach during his farewell message.

 If not Federer, who is going to fill Ivanisevic’s shoes?

Following his split with Novak Djokovic, Ivanisevic broke his silence on Djokovic’s future and his next coach. He revealed, “I don’t know for how much longer Novak plans to keep on playing, but the perfect person is with him at the moment – Ziki (Nenad Zimonjic).” Further, he went on to add, “He is a great friend of mine, we went through a lot together and I love him. He has a vast tennis knowledge, but what is most important – he knows Novak really well…”

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It has even been speculated that the Serbinator may not choose anyone at all and go solo. He has a reputation for only being associated with the best, and with his World No. 1 title at stake, Djokovic will not accept anything less than perfect.

It remains to be seen how this change affects Djokovic’s on-court performances. He will next be seen in action at the Monte Carlo Masters, in a hope to win his maiden title this year.