Novak Djokovic’s coach has given a fresh insight into the fierce mindset of the champion Serbian, declaring almost every other tennis professional would have withdrawn from the Australian Open when presented with the scan results on his injured hamstring.
Former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, a key member of Team Djokovic since 2019 and by his side during his calendar grand slam attempt two years ago, believes Djokovic, having again drawn level with Rafael Nadal on 22 majors, can play at the top “definitely two, three more years”.
Novak Djokovic celebrates with his team, including Goran Ivanisevic (right, with yellow sleeves), after winning the Australian open.Credit:Getty Images
Coach Ivanisevic said the MRI scan on Djokovic’s left hamstring, an injury he suffered in Adelaide, was worrying and he was “very scared” about the Serb’s capacity to play out his third-round match against Grigor Dimitrov midway through his Australian Open assault.
“Let me put it like this: I don’t say 100 per cent, but 97 per cent of the players, on Saturday when you get results of the MRI, you go straight to the referee office and pull out of the tournament,” said Ivanisevic after Djokovic won the Australian Open for a 10th time.
“But not him. He is from other space. His brain is working differently.
“He gave everything. Seventy-seven therapies a day. Every day was kind of better and better. I didn’t expect this. Honestly, I was shocked.”
Raw emotion spilt over for Djokovic immediately after he clinched the straight-sets win over Stefanos Tsitsipas, a match in which the Greek world No.4 couldn’t quite take his chances at vital moments, losing 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5).
The compounding effect of last year’s deportation drama, managing the hamstring complaint and then, in the final days of the tournament as Djokovic moved closer to breaking more records, the furore surrounding his father Srdjan Djokovic, who was captured posing for photos with pro-Vladimir Putin activists, revealed itself when the 35-year-old made his way into the stands to embrace with his team.
The tears came for Djokovic, who spent several minutes embracing those close to him before returning to his chair and sobbing in a towel for several minutes.
“If I turn back the time two and a half weeks ago, I wasn’t really liking my chance in this tournament with the way I felt with my leg,” reflected Djokovic, who returns to the world No.1 ranking.
Novak Djokovic lifts the Australian Open trophy for a 10th time. Credit:Eddie Jim
“Then it was just a matter of survival of every single match, trying to take it to the next round.”
Endorsing the sentiment he expressed in Adelaide, where the Serb arrived in late December full of apprehension about how he would be received after his deportation from Australia 11 months earlier, Djokovic said his five weeks Down Under had been “a very positive experience”.
“I honestly feel great in Australia. My results are a testament to that. I really wanted to be back here. I wanted to play,” he said.
“Knowing my records in Australian Open, I always like my chances.
Novak Djokovic and his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, during a practice session prior to the Australian Open.Credit:AP
“Considering last year’s event[s], I was a bit more nervous coming into Australia, didn’t know how I was going to be received by the people.”
Enthralled by the achievements of Djokovic, coach Ivanisevic also likened the race between Djokovic and Nadal to get to 23 grand slams to a handball match.
“Battle of Spain against Serbia, it’s like a handball match. 22-22 for the moment. Now it’s going to be interesting this year,” he said.
The Croatian, too, is savouring the battle between Djokovic and Nadal at Roland Garros where, if he wins, Djokovic will skip past his rival and never be surpassed.
“I said eight or nine years ago that Novak and Rafa will go over Roger [Federer],” he said.
“People were looking at me like strangely, but we have 22-22. Two unbelievable competitors, two
unbelievable tennis players, what they did for the tennis.
“I’m looking forward … for both of them to be super healthy, then battle it there. And
with the young guys [such as Carlos Alcaraz] who going to try to find backdoors to sneak and try to do something.”
Beaten finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas, still to win his first major, spoke passionately on court about Djokovic’s contribution to their sport and his status as an all-time great athlete.
“I definitely meant it,” Tsitsipas said later.
“He has earned it with so much dedication that he has put in, with so much professionalism in his everyday life.”
Tsitsipas has reached and lost two major finals, both times to Djokovic.
“It’s a wake-up call for me to sort of do the same. I can only learn from that,” he said.
“In today’s world with social media, all the information you can extract, the news is actually the best era to be playing tennis in.”
He described Djokovic as an opponent who “pushes you to your limits. I don’t see this as a curse.”
“He’s very important for us that want to get to his point one day. Getting our asses kicked is for sure a very good lesson every single time,” Tsitsipas said.
“He has made me a much better player. He has made my levels of concentration higher and higher every single time I get to play him.
“You have to be really involved and you have to be dedicated to the game when you play against him.
“I find it a very important part of my career, to have a player like him that will help me grow better and do bigger things, speaking for my game.”
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
