“Everything is documented,” Coach Goran Ivanisevic shuts down rumors of Novak Djokovic’s ‘fake’ injury in Australia
"I don't know how to name these people"- Ivanisevic slams 'insignificant' players for questioning Djokovic's injury
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Novak Djokovic has suffered a hamstring injury since the start of the 2023 season. During the Australian Open, it was reported that the Serb had a three-inch hamstring tear, resulting in difficulties. The injury brought on innumerable skeptics as the champion refused to back down.
In a recent interview, Goran Ivanisevic, his coach, refuted such claims. The 10-time Australian Open champion was subjected to such treatment due to his dominance regardless of injury. The player is known for his pain tolerance and ability to adapt constantly. Ivanisevic defended Novak for the same, saying that some people deal with pain better than others. He also compared the injury to the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s muscle tear in the 2021 edition in Melbourne.
The former player-turned-coach slammed ‘no-name’ players for doubting the Serb’s injury. He further said that all the evidence is apparent as documented in the MRI scans. With relation to the documents, he said, “…Novak said that he will come out with those publicly at some point.” Moreover, he elaborated on how difficult it was for Novak to play his best.
According to the coach, Djokovic simply ‘hit the ball with no movement’ during practice sessions. But, Djokovic’s athleticism came to light as he managed to lift the trophy yet again. “I don’t remember ever seeing him play so aggressively in a Slam.”, said Ivanisevic. A clearly struggling Djokovic still managed to blaze through the tournament, probably giving rise to doubters.
The 35-year-old had competed with a bandaged left leg, only losing one set on his way to the title. In contrast to his previous rounds, Djokovic played much better in the final against Stefanos Tsitsipas. “When his leg felt better, for the finals, he perhaps played the most defensive match out of all seven, since he could move better,” according to Ivanisevic.
Also read: “He’s like the anti-hero,” Chris Evert comments on Novak Djokovic’s mental ability and determination
Ivanisevic finds it ‘hilarious’ that Novak Djokovic could fake an injury
Ivanisevic further opinionated that discussing these rumors and the doubters is futile. The fact that Djokovic won the title is much more important. “We can’t stop people from saying one thing and the other,” he said, “let everyone think what they want”. Many people, including Carlos Alcaraz’s coach, have expressed their disbelief at the Serb’s injury.
Additionally, Ivanisevic claimed, “Sure, the best player in the world needs to fake an injury to win against a player who would maybe take a few games off of him.” Djokovic has previously expressed his scorn for all the questions, amplifying the discrimination against him. Recently, he was forced to pull out of the Sunshine Double as the US authorities refused to accept his application. The Serb was ready to play after a significant recovery from his hamstring injury.
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Tanisha Mohanty
(172 Articles Published)