“Things are different, obviously, for me the last couple of years. I’ve been struggling to play on the desired level,” – Novak Djokovic said after his early exit from the 2025 Indian Wells. However, after reaching the final in Miami, he roared back, claiming, “I still have it in my legs, in my hands, in my arms.” He showcased his intentions to compete with the younger generation at the “highest level“. His performance has been full of ups and downs this year. Although Djokovic made quite a few deep runs this year, he surprisingly hasn’t won a single title since the Paris Olympics last summer. Amid all these concerns surrounding the significant drop in his performance levels (compared to his standards), the Serb stunned everyone with his recent decision to part ways with coach Andy Murray after just six months of working together. Reacting to this split of the iconic duo, former ATP pro-Alex Corretja recently made a bold claim. What’s it, though?
Previously, while justifying his decision behind this split, Novak Djokovic claimed, “We felt like we couldn’t get more out of that partnership on the court. My respect for Andy remains the same and it’s even greater now that I’ve got to know him better as a person. He has a brilliant tennis IQ, a rare champion’s mindset.” With Murray, Djokovic also reached the SF of the AO, this year. Reacting to this surprising announcement, the Brit also thanked the Serb for giving him the “unbelievable opportunity to work together” and also wished him all the best for the rest of the season.
However, a few days ago, while reacting to this news in an interview with TNT Sports, Alex Corretja said it is a “shame,” but he hopes this decision leads to Novak Djokovic being able to find his motivation to push on for his 25th major title. “Maybe they thought that they’re not on the same path right now. Maybe Andy feels like he’s not helping him as much as he thought he could because Novak is not ready for that. Maybe he needs his time, and he needs to just do things the way he wants and doesn’t need to be told what to do.” Recently, the Spaniard yet again shared his thoughts on the same with an interview with MARCA, but this time, Corretja came up with a bold claim.
During the interview, he was asked if he was surprised by this partnership and what his reaction was to this split. “It was a mixed bag. Djokovic was looking for something extraordinary, and Andy found himself in a difficult situation. I guess he thought it was a good opportunity. I find it logical that Djokovic struggles to find his goals. He’s competing less and less and has lost his explosiveness and movement. He’s a perfect machine, but if you drop from a 10 to an 8.5, you’re more vulnerable with more players. I saw them in Madrid and I had doubts about whether Djokovic is really where he wants to be.“
He further added, “If he doesn’t have a great season at the Grand Slams, I find it hard to believe he has the drive to continue if he has no chance of winning. If he doesn’t have a chance, I don’t think he’ll keep playing.” As things stand, Djokovic will have Dusan Vemic in his corner at the Roland Garros, but guess what?
Not only Corretja, but even German legend Boris Becker, who coached Novak Djokovic between 2014 and 2016, also admitted that he’s surprised by this split. In an interview with The Independent, Becker said, “I’m a little bit surprised that they would end their working relationship just a week before Roland Garros. I thought Melbourne was a big success. I was happy to see Andy back in action in Novak’s corner.” He said that he was keen to see both of them working together at Wimbledon. But this sudden split has now made him a “little bit lost of words“.
However, amidst all these turmoils off the court, Novak Djokovic has now entered the final of the Geneva Open. Reacting to his incredible fightback against Cameron Norrie, Becker dropped a tweet recently saying, “Well done, Schatzi“. What did Djokovic say after this match, though?
Novak Djokovic rates his performance against Cameron Norrie in the SF of the Geneva Open
Novak Djokovic won the first set by 6-4, but then Norrie came back strongly by clinching the second set. However, following a hard-fought battle, the Serb managed to win the match by 6-4.6(6)-7,6-1. How does he assess his performance in this match? “I’m giving myself a seven or eight out of 10 for the whole match, but nine and sometimes 10 in the third set, the best set I’ve played in this tournament. It’s good news for me, with good feelings. I’ll be in the final with more confidence.”
When he was asked if he had made any changes in his game recently, Djokovic said, “Honestly, I change things all the time when I feel like I’m not at the level I want. I’m looking every day, even at 38, even after more than 20 years at this level. I’m not the same player I was 15, 10, or five years ago. You need that mentality to get in tune with the young players.” Having said that, he also claimed that he’s motivated to win his 100th title here in Geneva.
“Desire is there”, clearly for this 38-year-old tennis star! But can he reach this record before the French Open? Time will tell! But if he wins the final match against Hubert Hurkacz, then he’ll surely get a lot of confidence ahead of the major clay court event. Djokovic has a win-loss record of 13-7 this season. But despite his recent struggles to win titles, the former world number one, Mats Wilander, claims Novak Djokovic will become “the big, big favorite” to win the 2024 French Open if he manages to reach the second round at this mega event. Do you agree with Wilander?
The post ‘(Novak) Djokovic Struggles to Find His Goals’ – Bold Claim Surfaces Amid Fallout From Andy Murray Split appeared first on EssentiallySports.