Novak Djokovic, the world’s top tennis player, is contemplating going without a coach after two decades in professional tennis. The 36-year-old Serbian player made the statement after receiving the top men’s honor at the Laureus Awards.
Djokovic ended his five-year collaboration with Croatian coach Goran Ivanisevic last month after his third-round loss at Indian Wells. He was accompanied by former doubles world number one Nenad Zimonjic at the Monte Carlo Masters recently, but he is considering whether to continue his late-career journey on his own.
“I’m weighing the pros and cons of having a coach,” Djokovic said. “I had a great experience working with Zimonjic, and we’re discussing future collaboration. I’ll be making a decision soon.”
🇷🇸 Novak Djokovic wins the 2024 Laureus World Sportsman of the Year 🏆🐐#Laureus24 pic.twitter.com/AWyRHuj4dV
— Eurosport (@eurosport) April 22, 2024
Djokovic acknowledged the potential benefits of having a quality coaching team but also mentioned he might explore playing without a coach.
He also revealed that he will skip the Madrid Open to focus on preparing for key tournaments such as Roland Garros, Wimbledon, the Olympic Games, and the US Open.
“I’m aiming to compete in Rome,” he said. “This year has been a bit different for me; I’m still finding my best tennis form. I hope to achieve that at Roland Garros.”
