The Novak Djokovic- Andre Agassi relationship has been the most talked about in Tennis in the past few weeks. The fact that Novak disbanded his entire coaching staff came as quite a shock, as the Serbian had been working with that contingent for a long part of his successful career. A big name was due to come in, and Agassi was probably the biggest one on offer. But it’s not the ‘coach coach’ role that everyone was expecting it to be. Agassi has been hired more as a mentor than as a coach, and Djokovic clarified that in his latest interview to the Serbian Press.
Djokovic said that he is already looking for a new coach, a coach that would work with him and Andre!
“I have a list of names but I don’t want to say anything,’ Djokovic said. ‘I and Andre, who is a mentor and top coach, will take the decision, because I will spend more time with him than Andre. We spoke with a person and I hope that the situation will be clearer at Wimbledon or just after.
It needs to be a man who can have our tennis and life view. We need to take in consideration everything because I am not the same player and person I was before becoming father. There were many changes, now I have a family, many commitments, a different life rhythm and the new coach needs to respect and understand it.
He has to be a coach at the highest level, preferably younger so that he can have more Energy. He needs to understand my mental situation on court, my preparation, the travel, the time where I need to recover.’
Djokovic even went onto speak about the unfair criticism that he had been receiving for losing some weight, and how his personal life was maybe gravely affecting his professional life.
“When things do not go well and results are not the same as the ones I got in the last seven or eight years, it’s normal to criticize. I respect everyone’s opinion but I focus on myself, my evolution and how to work in order to win again.
I don’t want to speak too much about it, because people may read on newspapers and say something without knowing what it is about and what the person is going through. I haven’t been eating meat since August-September 2015, both for ethical and health reasons.
I eat fish and eggs though. At the moment I don’t want to eat meat again.”
Djokovic takes on Thiem in a mouth watering quarter final today, as rain played spoil sport yesterday!
