Ex-coach Goran Ivanisevic explains what quality makes Novak Djokovic ‘best of the best’
Goran Ivanisevic guided World No.5 Novak Djokovic to 12 Grand Slam singles victories after joining his team in 2018.
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Novak Djokovic, Goran Ivanisevic (Image via X/@Novak Djokovic, ACI No1)
Novak Djokovic, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is one of the greatest sportsmen of all time. His former coach Goran Ivanisevic shared insights into what has made the Serb a great athlete.
Under Ivanisevic, Djokovic won 13 ATP titles, including 12 of his 24 Grand Slam trophies. During a recent interview, Ivanisevic spoke highly of his former protege and said Djokovic never succumbed to nerves.
Why are the best the best? Why was Federer the best, why was Novak the best? And he is a man of flesh and blood. He said it himself, before every match he had a stomachache, and he was nervous in the match, but I can see that. At that moment you can see exactly that the other guy will be eaten by nervousness. He is not eaten by nervousness. He is always at his level and he emerges. That is why he is the best.
Goran Ivanisevic said during an interview with Arena Sport
Djokovic worked with the Croatian coach for about six years. They ended the partnership last year in March following which, Nole added longtime rival and three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray to his entourage.
He is like that, one person like that is born in a hundred thousand years! He had these two guys pushing each other. Roger and Rafa (Nadal) made each other better players. It was a triangle of the three of them pulling each other.
Goran Ivanisevic added
The 53-year-old joined WTA ace Elena Rybakina‘s team after parting ways with Djokovic. But the partnership didn’t last for long as he left her team after her Australian Open exit due to the controversy involving banned coach Stefano Vukov.
Novak Djokovic’s quarterfinal match postponed
Novak Djokovic was scheduled to play home favorite Sebastian Korda in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open on Wednesday (March 26). But to the frustration of the fans at Stadium, tennis host and producer Andrew Krasny announced to them that the match was postponed due to the new scheduling rules.
Several long-running matches on the main court on Wednesday meant that the Djokovic-Korda would not have started before 11 pm. The fourth-round match between first seed Alexander Zverev and Arthur Fils, which had been postponed due to rain, was also held on that day.
In accordance with ATP rules that do not allow for a match to go on court after 11 pm, the match between Novak Djokovic and Sebastian Korda has been postponed until tomorrow and will be the third match from 1 pm.
Andrew Krasny said
As per the new ATP and WTA rules that were introduced last year, matches would only be played post-11 pm with approval. Before the Djokovic-Korda match, Emma Raducanu and Jessica Pegula were battling it out to grab a spot in the semifinals. The American WTA ace secured the win over the resurgent Brit not before 11:30 pm.
Novak Djokovic is chasing seventh Miami Open
Novak Djokovic is playing at the Miami Open for the first time since 2019. He last lifted the title in 2016 by beating Kei Nishikori and completed his fourth Sunshine Double.
Djokovic is a six-time Miami Open champion and is tied with Andre Agassi. The 37-year-old, apart from the 2016 season, lifted the ATP Masters 1000 trophy in 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015.
If Djokovic is successful in lifting his seventh title at the Miami Gardens, he will become the third player in the history of Men’s tennis to claim 100 titles after Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer, both of who have taken home 109 and 103 titles, respectively. Djokovic hasn’t yet won a tour-level title since the 2023 ATP Finals and last lifted an official trophy at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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