Novak Djokovic finally pushed the reset button this week after deciding to part ways with his entire coaching team that includes longtime mentor Marian Vajda. This came in the wake of a series of losses that put Djokovic in tough spot heading into the second major of the year: French Open championship.
Split with Vajda
Djokovic, who already had a high-profile split with Boris Becker last December, bids farewell to his team that helped him become the best tennis player in the world once upon a time. Although his breakup with Becker (the man responsible for his tennis dominance from 2013 to 2016) was already shocking development, parting ways with Vajda - the coach who has been with him since his teenage years – suggests that his current struggle is more than just a hump on the road.
“It was not an easy decision, but we all felt that we need a change. I am very grateful and proud of our relationship and unbreakable bond that we built through years of mutual love, respect, and understanding. They are my family and that will never change,” said Djokovic, who collected 12 Grand Slam titles under Vajda’s mentorship.
With less than a month left before the start of the French Open championship, Djokovic suddenly found himself in an unfamiliar position heading into a major tournament. It will be interesting how Nole, who is, by the way, the defending champion of Roland Garros, will cope up with the absence of his entire coaching staff.
Djokovic hasn’t won a tournament since beating world’s no.1 Andy Murray at Doha, and the series of early-round exits at the hands of Nick Kyrgios, Dennis Istomin and David Goffin will certainly make him even more of a big target for upset-minded competitors in tournaments to come.
Madrid Masters Gamble
For the first time in years, Djokovic will compete in a tournament without Vajda or Becker in his box. The Madrid Master will serve as the first test to Djokovic as he tries to enjoy his time without a formal coach. This isn’t the first time an elite player competed without a coach. Several years ago, Roger Federer also competed and won Grand Slams sans a coach after sacking Peter Lundgren at the end of 2003.
Federer even gave Murray a piece of advice when the Briton was in the middle of a coaching search in 2010, saying life without a coach has some advantage.
“I became No1 in the world having no coach, really. I went through a period of time which was very interesting almost at the peak. I didn’t have a management company, nor did I have a coach.
I thought that was a great learning experience for me and that’s why I think I’m super‑stable today, regardless if I do have all the stuff around me,” said Federer in an interview with Express.co.uk.
Will Djokovic pull off a Federer this time around? Perhaps, he can do it alone. That’s how great players do. They always overcome obstacles and conquer the field in emphatic fashion. And Djokovic is certainly one of the greats.
