Coach Goran Ivanisevic takes a dig at young tennis players saying Novak Djokovic is the only ‘DINOSAUR’ among all the favorites
Ivanisevic praises Djokovic’s longevity and dominance in tennis.
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Goran Ivanisevic and Novak Djokovic after their 2022 Wimbledon win. (Image Credits: Getty Images)
Goran Ivanisevic, the coach of world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, has been training his son Emanuel, a 15-year-old tennis prodigy, who recently practiced with Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego, ranked 43rd in the world, at the Umag stadium in Croatia. The Croatian legend spoke to Sportske Novosti, a local sports newspaper, and shared his views on Djokovic’s future plans and challenges.
Djokovic was also seen holidaying in Croatia a few days ago, and the media team was not late to ask Ivanisevic about their future preparations and if he feels Djokovic can match the next-gen stars at the upcoming tournaments. Ivanisevic dismissed the notion that Djokovic will face stiff competition from the younger generation of players who are often dubbed as the new ‘Big-3’ or ‘Big-4’ of tennis. Ivanisevic called these statements ‘stupid.’
Ivanisevic believes that the transition from the old guard to the new generation has been happening for a while, with players like Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner, and Andrey Rublev challenging the top spot for the past few years, but Djokovic has remained the undisputed king of tennis. He added, “Novak remains the only “dinosaur” among those older ones; the rest are all young guys. It’s a normal sequence, but there’s still something to ask the elders.”
Will Novak Djokovic be a match against the growing next-gen stars?
Novak Djokovic is facing the inevitable challenge of every athlete: the decline of physical abilities with age. The 35-year-old Serbian has dominated the sport for more than a decade, but he knows that his time at the top is limited.
He has seen his rivals and friends, such as Roger Federer, retire from the game one by one, leaving him alone to face the younger generation of players who are hungry for glory. Djokovic has to make a tough decision that every player has to make at some point in their careers: when to hang up his racket and say goodbye to the sport he loves.
Djokovic is a fierce competitor who never gives up on his dreams. He has shown that he can overcome any obstacle and challenge, even when facing the rising stars of the next generation, who are all in their prime. Djokovic has made it clear that he wants to end his career on a high note, and he will not stop fighting until he achieves his goals.
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Soumyadeep Mondal
(882 Articles Published)