Novak Djokovic’s Memorable Match: A Coaching Conundrum?

Novak Djokovic has had a memorable match. © APA/afp / EMMANUEL DUNAND

Things aren’t going quite as planned for Novak Djokovic in the current tennis season. Even in the four-and-a-half-hour thriller, which the Serb won at 3:07 a.m. on Sunday, Djokovic had to endure some anxious moments. Tennis legend John McEnroe comments on whether the moderate success could have something to do with his recent coaching decision.

02. June 2024

From: sn

“The idea that Djokovic needs a coach is ridiculous,” McEnroe told Eurosport. “He’s a 24-time Grand Slam winner. Does he really need someone to tell him how to play tennis? I don’t think so.”

A few weeks ago, Djokovic parted ways with his coach Goran Ivanisevic and has been playing on the tour without a permanent coach since then. At the French Open, however, he is coached by Boris Bosnjakovic and he also worked briefly with former doubles world number one Nenad Zimonjic. McEnroe sees no problem in this: “If he wants to have someone around him, that’s perfectly fine. After all, it worked.”

Djokovic always good for a surprise

Even McEnroe didn’t see Djokovic’s success coming: “If someone had told me back then that he would win 24 Grand Slams, I would have said he was crazy,” says the expert. However, the world number one is not in the best shape at the moment, having to play five sets against the Italian Lorenzo Musetti on Sunday night. In the end, he only narrowly avoided being eliminated, but the 37-year-old is often at his best in these situations.

The Serb will next face Argentinian Francisco Cerúndolo on Monday. Cerúndolo recently beat American Tommy Paul 3:6, 6:3, 6:3 and 6:2. He is ranked 27th in the world and is considered a tough nut to crack.

2024-06-02 09:01:14
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