Andre Agassi succeeds Boris Becker as Novak Djokovic’s new coach in Paris this week.

Agassi has Becker’s backing as a “good choice” for the job.

Gilbert: Djokovic Can Assert Game With Agassi As Coach

During his three-year tenure as coach, Becker helped Djokovic win six of his 12 Grand Slam titles.

The former world No. 1 said he believes Djokovic and Agassi will click.

“We're still close, we talk a lot. I heard the name Agassi for a while, it's a good choice,” Becker told the media at an ATP press conference. “Andre's tennis expertise is second to none and I think their personalities would fit.”

Agassi and Becker were once bitter rivals, a rift that deepened when Becker hired Agassi’s former coach, Nick Bollettieri, as his coach.

Becker asserts the 47-year-old American, who won five of his eight Grand Slam titles after age 29, can apply his experience and wisdom to aid the 30-year-old Djokovic.

“Andre won his most important titles late in his career,” Becker said. “Novak has won everything but is looking for new inspiration and he can talk to a guy who won most of his Grand Slams in his thirties.”



Former Agassi coach Brad Gilbert calls Djokovic "a young 30" and believes Agassi can bring the knowledge of his post-30 performance to Djokovic.

"Andre played his best tennis from 29 on. Djokovic just turned 30," Gilbert told the media in an ESPN conference call. "Today’s 30 is like 25 used to be. Brings an incredible amount of knowledge, wisdom, passion.

"I think more importantly at the start it’s just getting to know each other, feeling each other out. Then it will be up to Andre to try to figure out how many weeks he can allocate because he has been pretty busy. I think the potential is for an exciting partnership."

Asked to assess world No. 1 Andy Murray’s working relationship with coach Ivan Lendl, Becker said the pair need to spend more time together calling their break between Melbourne and Paris “maybe a little long.”

“Am I surprised he hasn't been around more? A little bit,” Becker told the media. "When I first asked to work for Novak, the original idea was the Grand Slams only and I said, 'I don't think that is possible. I have to see you more than just a couple of days before the Slams to know where you are'.

"I said 'I have to know the ups and downs, and really get to know you in lesser tournaments.' "So I told him, 'If I am going to do that, I have to be with you more'. But that is their arrangement.

"That is what worked last year, that was part of the deal. But I think, if both were honest, the gap between Melbourne and the French was maybe a little long."



Hall of Famer Chrissie Evert said she expects Lendl's presence in Paris and the upcoming grass-court season will serve as a calming influence and major boost to the reigning Wimbledon champion.

"I think Andy’s best years, he really had Lendl at his fingertips, a little bit more consistently," Evert told the media in an ESPN conference call. "I feel like once Lendl is with him and settles in with him, is with him in Europe, is with him before Wimbledon, he’ll get more into a better place. 

"I see him struggling emotionally on the court. That’s been his biggest issue, is himself, struggling with himself. He’s going back to fighting with himself a little bit more. There’s nobody better to sort of tweak that or transform that than Lendl, because he’s done such a great job with him in the past.

"I think he’s got to get the emotions under wrap a little bit, just take a deep breath, calm down, listen to his coach, listen to Lendl. Nobody did it better than him as far as just focusing and being unemotional off on the court. That’s why they’re such a good team."

Photo credit: British Tennis