Goran Ivanisevic has admitted that Novak Djokovic was "fed up" with him leading up to their split.
The one-time Wimbledon champion once worked closely with Djokovic from 2019 as a part of his coaching team, but in March it was confirmed they had gone their separate ways. During their approximate five-year association, 'Nole' was extremely successful with the Croatian on his side, amassing nine major titles. Nonetheless, Ivanisevic has now exposed that he foresaw their impending separation.
"I knew that time was coming. Novak was already fed up with me, and vice versa," shared Ivanisevic with Swiss media, quoting Serbian outlet Alo. "Relationships just come to an end, even though we parted ways as friends. There were no fights and we will always remain friends.
"Novak achieved all these successes, and I helped him a little. It was a great honour and responsibility to train such a genius. It wasn't always easy. There were problems with the pandemic, the disqualification at the US Open and the incident in Melbourne. It was really complicated."
Despite struggles off-court, Djokovic's recent performances don't betray any turbulence. Even as one of the ATP Tour's older stars, the Serbian ace has managed to maintain his place as a regular threat at Grand Slam matches, reports the Express.
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The 36-year-old tennis ace nearly swept the board in 2023, clinching three out of four major titles and only missing out on a historic calendar Grand Slam due to Carlos Alcaraz's stunning performance at Wimbledon. Had it not been for Alcaraz's rise as a formidable force in tennis, Djokovic might have secured that elusive achievement.
After a less than stellar start to 2024, Djokovic and his coach Ivanisevic decided to part ways. Despite holding onto his top spot in the ATP rankings, Djokovic felt let down by his semi-final bow out at the Australian Open, marking his poorest performance in Melbourne since 2018.
Following this, Djokovic faced a series of disappointing results at high-profile tournaments including the Monte-Carlo Masters, Indian Wells, and the Italian Open. Nonetheless, Ivanisevic remains optimistic about Djokovic's chances, especially with the French Open on the horizon.
Ivanisevic was Djokovic's coach for around five years ((Image: Paul Kane/Getty Images))"Grand Slams are different," he said. "If he is mentally ready, he will win the Garos. I think he will be motivated. Novak never gives up. Grand slams are the most important for him and he always finds a way to win."
As the current champion, Djokovic is heading back to Roland Garros this week, aiming to claim his third French Open title in as many editions. However, the competition is fierce with players like Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz, and Daniil Medvedev all vying for the prestigious title.
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