Novak Djokovic’s ex-coach reportedly set to join Stefanos Tsitsipas’ team after Roland Garros
Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has reached the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters, is bidding to win his fourth title in the tournament.
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Stefanos Tsitsipas (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)
Stefanos Tsitsipas is in Monte Carlo, in his bid to win his second title of the season, following the Dubai Open. Amid his campaign, reports have emerged that the Greek will add Novak Djokovic‘s former coach Goran Ivanisevic to his team.
If Gazzetta‘s report is true, then Ivanisevic will be joining Tsitsipas’ team after the Roland Garros, following his partnership with WTA ace Elena Rybakina. The Croatian coach left her team after her Australian Open exit this year because of the controversy involving banned coach Stefano Vukov.
Ivanisevic joined Rybakina’s team after parting ways with Djokovic in March last year. Under Ivanisevic, the Serb lifted nine of his 24 Grand Slam titles. The tennis world will be expecting a lot from a 26-year-old under the guidance of the 53-year-old. In August last year, Tsitsipas ended his coaching partnership with his father Apostolos Tsitsipas.
Tsitsipas, so far in Monte Carlo, came from a set down to knock out Jordan Thompson in his opening round, before breezing past Nuno Borges to set up a quarterfinal clash with Lorenzo Musetti against whom he has won all the five matches he played.
Tsitsipas is the defending champion in The Principality and is also the most successful player in recent years, having won three titles (2021, 2022, and 2024). Tsitsipas lifted the Dubai Open by beating Felix Auger-Aliassime to lift his first title since last year’s Monte Carlo Masters win.
Goran Ivanisevic reveals what was the hardest thing about coaching Novak Djokovic
Goran Ivanisevic said Novak Djokovic is a ‘perfectionist’ and likes biomechanics which he found quite tricky. For Ivanisevic, it was the hardest thing during his time in Djokovic’s team.
He likes biomechanics and many similar things. It’s not that I don’t believe in that but some things have nothing to do with biomechanics. You can’t think about the biomechanics of your hips, your knees when you throw the ball for your serve and the sun hits your eyes and you can’t see anything. You can’t see the ball.
Goran Ivanisevic said on (Ne)uspjeh prvaka’s YouTube channel
As per Ivanisevic, Djokovic can play a high level of tennis even after not playing for months. Ivanisevic thinks 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal could have found it a bit hard to find his rhythm after a long absence.
And the easiest thing for me is that I have never seen a tennis player who cannot play tennis for two months and then play as if he never even stopped. He plays like he had been training for five hours a day for the past two months. Such timing, such a feel for the court, for the ball, for the space. I have never seen anything like it in my life. Nadal is not like that. He has to train every day.
Goran Ivanisevic added
Ivanisevic was reminiscing about his time during Djokovic’s team obviously, for at present, the 37-year-old is struggling to perform consistently. This season, Djokovic has played six tournaments, reaching just one final.
He was denied his 100th title by Jakub Mensik who took home his career’s first title by beating Nole in straight sets in the Miami Open final. Djokovic then kick-started his campaign on the clay swing in Monte Carlo where Alejandro Tabilo eliminated him in his first match.
Djokovic will now be preparing for the Madrid Open which he had skipped the last season. On the clay swing last year, Djokovic claimed only the gold medal at the Paris Olympics by beating Carlos Alcaraz. Since that victory, Djokovic failed to win another title and progressed to two Masters 1000 finals at 2024 Shanghai Masters and in Miami.
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