Boris Becker Reveals Circumstances Behind his Association With Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic was coached by Boris Becker between 2014 and 2016.
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Novak Djokovic, Boris Becker (Image via X/The Tennis Letter, Sportbible)
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Novak Djokovic’s partnership with Boris Becker began during a period of doubt. After several painful defeats to Rafael Nadal in 2013, including the Roland Garros semifinal and the US Open final, Djokovic and his team felt he needed a fresh voice. His manager contacted Becker to explore whether the German legend could help shift the momentum.
Becker later explained the story in an interview with the Spanish program La Revuelta. He recalled receiving the call after noticing Djokovic was losing the biggest matches to Nadal. Becker believed he could help sharpen Djokovic’s mindset and bring more decisiveness to his game, especially in pressure moments.
It was a spectacular moment. I was surprised he called me because in October 2012, he had lost his number 1 ranking to Rafa and was now only number 2. So his manager called me and asked, ‘Could you imagine becoming his coach?’ And I replied, ‘Why?’ He’s no longer number 1 and he’s lost all the Grand Slam tournaments to Rafa Nadal, and, you know, that’s a problem at the highest level.
The results soon followed. Djokovic grew stronger mentally, improved key aspects of his serve and baseline play, and began winning the tight matches that had previously slipped away. Notably, Nadal never beat him on a hard court again after that 2013 US Open final.
Their partnership produced one of the most dominant runs in tennis history. Djokovic became the first man in the Open Era to win four consecutive Grand Slam titles, from Wimbledon 2015 through Roland Garros 2016.
ATP Rankings Data recalls Novak Djokovic’s unreal dominance
We can still enjoy the final phase of Novak Djokovic’s remarkable career. His time on court has given fans one of the greatest stories in modern sport. Looking back at his ranking achievements helps show the scale of what he has done.
Djokovic holds the record for the most weeks as world No. 1 with 428. He is also the only player to finish eight seasons at the top. These accomplishments, along with his success at Grand Slams and Masters 1000 events, strengthen his case as the greatest player in history.
Another impressive fact is his consistency inside the top 10. Djokovic already leads the list for most weeks spent at No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4. He is now close to becoming the player with the most weeks in the top 5 and top 10 as well.
Rankings may matter less to him now, but his strong form in 2025 kept him among the best with a limited schedule. His performance at the 2026 Australian Open could be key. He needs 15 more weeks in the top 5 and 45 more weeks in the top 10 to take the all-time lead in those categories.
Novak Djokovic on the verge of history already at the Australian Open 2026
Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic enters the 2026 Australian Open with a clear goal in mind. He wants to reclaim the title that has defined much of his career. After a strong end to the 2025 season, he arrives motivated and determined to make another deep run in Melbourne.
Last year, his campaign ended in frustration. He reached the semifinals but was struggling with a knee problem. Against Alexander Zverev, he could not move freely and let the match go after dropping the first set, choosing to protect his health for the rest of the season.
Now he returns with history on the line. Djokovic has collected 99 match wins at the Australian Open, the second most by any male player. One more victory will make him the first man to record 100 or more match wins at three different Grand Slam tournaments.
At the moment, only he and Roger Federer have earned 100+ wins in two separate majors. Djokovic is on the verge of standing alone. A single win in Melbourne will push him into a category no other male player has reached.
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