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Novak Djokovic & Goran Ivanisevic: Between worries, madness and great luck

Novak Djokovic won the title at the Australian Open 2023 in an impressive manner. After the final success, both the Serb and coach Ivanisevic looked deeply.

by SID/red
last edit: Jan 30, 2023, 10:24 am

Novak Djokovic is the king of Melbourne
© Getty Images
Novak Djokovic is the king of Melbourne

Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic wants to take care of his recently injured thigh after winning the Australian Open. He couldn't rule out a break on Monday. "I'm not sure, in the coming days I'll have some medical tests," the Serb told AFP: "Then I'll have a better picture and can say more about it." According to the current status, he is registered for the ATP tournament in Dubai (February 27th to March 4th), "that's in a month. I hope to be back on the pitch in a few weeks."

The thigh injury had attracted a lot of attention in the run-up to and at the beginning of the Australian Open. In the final victory on Sunday against the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, however, it apparently no longer played a role, Djokovic competed without a bandage. Nevertheless, the injury always hovered over the Serb's performances like a sword of Damocles, as coach Ivanisevic revealed after the final success: "I think I have to agree with him, it's definitely the best title, not just because of everything that was last year happened and his return, but the last three weeks have been extremely tough."

Djokovic impaired

Apparently struggling for words, the Croatian tried to put into perspective what had happened in the past few weeks: "It was incredible. Playing like this, getting better and better every day is just impressive. 97% of the players would be on Saturday if they saw the result of the Got an MRT, went to the referee's office and would have pulled out of the tournament. But not him, he's from another sphere," said trainer Djokovic. Ivanisevic has been part of the Serb's team for four years.

For the Croatian, the focus is still - young generation or not - on the "handball match" between Serbia and Spain, the score is 22:22. And it will be an "exciting year," said Ivanisevic, who feels nothing but proud of his protégé's performance. "He gave everything, every day was always a little better and better. I didn't expect that, I was shocked. I was very worried against Dimitrov, but he pulled through and won the tournament," said the 51-year-old.

Who is always at the center of Djokovic's emotional outbursts, some of which could also be experienced Down Under. "I told him he can say anything you want to me, but you have to win or we have a problem," joked Ivanisevic. Working with Djokovic is a special one, reaching the final of a Grand Slam tournament is something nice, but what counts is only winning the title. And everyone in the team has to live up to this claim.

Djokovic versus Nadal

"I thought I saw everything. It's just incredible," said Ivanisevic when asked about working with the Serb. It is the zenith of "craziness", but in a positive sense. And he really enjoys working with the Serb. Incidentally, this work has also involved improving the forehand, a shot that has rarely worked at the Australian Open for Djokovic. In any case, Ivanisevic emphasized that he had never seen the world number one play so well forehand.

If you listen between the lines, then winning the title Down Under, at Djokovic's "home tournament", is of course also a gauntlet that Team Djokovic throws towards the competition - above all towards Rafael Nadal. For Ivanisevic, the Spaniard is always a favorite when he steps onto the pitch at Roland Garros. And yet Djokovic would like to set the next effective hit in Nadal's "living room" in the race for the most Grand Slams. Now that the race is fully open again.

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by SID/red

Monday
Jan 30, 2023, 05:20 pm
last edit: Jan 30, 2023, 10:24 am