Marian Vajda: "Nobody tested Novak Djokovic to the highest point"
In an interview with Tennis Majors, Marian Vajdareviewed Novak Djokovic's outstanding Wimbledon success and also explained why, in his opinion, the media are not always fair to his protégé.
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Jul 16, 2021, 03:02 pm
Novak Djokovic only lost a set in his first and last appearance at Wimbledon in 2021. On his way to Grand Slam title number 20, nobody could really push the current number one in the tennis world to the brink of defeat. This is also emphasized by the trainer and long-time companion of the Serb, Marian Vajda: "I have the feeling that no one has tested Novak up to the highest point."
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The reasons are obvious. "Novak plays intelligent lawn tennis and he has the most experience. He's been excellent on grass for years, which was a big advantage over Berrettini. It was really difficult for Matteo - Novak was at Wimbledon in his first slam final," explained the Slovak. Berrettini was able to win the first round after a clear deficit, but had to watch with no chance in the following three sets as Djokovic was crowned Wimbledon champion.
Improvement in serve
On his way to the title, the 34-year-old could always rely on his serve. A part of the Belgrade’s game that he has been able to improve greatly in recent months. "Goran's inputs were great, he's the master chef in that part of the kitchen. The serve isn't quite like Goran's, but his instructions were similar to his own: the throw is lower and the biomechanics are different, Novak is now faster on serve. He no longer waits for the swing, so his serve is much smoother and more energetic before hitting the ball. "
This improvement leads Vajda, in no small part, to Djokovic's extraordinary ability to learn things. "You can see Novak serving more aces and overall his serve is much more controlled. Confidence is also higher and at Novak he's always so good at doing things: what Goran says was easy and very effective for Novak."
Media not always fair to Djokovic
Despite the great successes - Djokovic is slowly but surely becoming the most successful player of all time - the media dealings with the Serb are not always fair, as Vajda explained: "Sometimes they are one-sided and do not see the complexity of Novak's personality. He is fantastic , a very nice and positive person who brings a lot of good energy to the audience. "
In addition, it is also a nature of sport to stand by the outsiders. A phenomenon that is particularly strong in connection with Djokovic, as Vajda explained: "Sometimes people are for the underdog because Novak is so dominant and nobody wants to see him win. His dominance is so great that many people are jealous, when they see such perfection. "
"There is a lot of work behind it"
According to Vajda, this perfection on the pitch is also an incentive for the young players, an example: "I think that Novak is an amazing role model for the younger generation of athletes and people in general. He has reached a level that the fans can use think his game is a miracle, but it isn't - there is a lot of work and effort behind it. "
For the future of his protégé, Vajda wants one thing above all else: more balance in reporting. "My hope is that it only has to do with the sporting side, but I would like to see a more balanced media approach when it comes to Novak. The media promote Nadal and Federer, including the younger generation - nice things are also written about Novak but from my point of view he deserves more positive coverage, he is a real champion. "