By Tennis Now | Friday, May 5, 2017
"I am a hunter and my biggest goal is to find the winning spark on court again," Novak Djokovic said of his decision to drop his coaching staff.
Photo credit: Novak Djokovic Fan Club
Novak Djokovic has made a major coaching change ahead of his Roland Garros defense.
The world No. 2 announced he has dismissed his entire coaching team—long-time coach Marian Vajda, fitness coach Gebhard Phil Gritsch and trainer Miljan Amanovic—as he aims to stall his recent slide and return to his winning ways.
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“I am forever grateful to Marian, GG and Miljan for a decade of friendship, professionalism and commitment to my career goals,” Djokovic said in a statement posted on his official website. “It was not an easy decision, but we all felt that we needed a change.
“I want to continue raising the level of my game and stamina and this is a continuous process… I am a hunter and my biggest goal is to find the winning spark on court again.”
The 29-year-old Serbian started the year defeating world No. 1 Andy Murray to win his 67th career title in Doha.
Since that title run in the desert, Djokovic has posted a 9-4 record with an Australian Open second-round loss to 117th-ranked Denis Istomin, successive defeats to Nick Kyrgios in Acapulco and Indian Wells and a quarterfinal setback to David Goffin in his hometown Monte Carlo tournament.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion said he will not rush to name a new coach.
Djokovic, who has also worked with his friend, former Davis Cup teammate and practice partner Dusan Vemic as a support coach, said his family will travel with him as he continues his coaching search.
"I feel like this is a new chapter in my life," Djokovic said. "My career was always on the upward path and this time I’m experiencing how it is when the path takes you in a different direction. I want to find a way to come back to the top stronger and more resilient.
"I have so much faith in this process and that’s why I will take time to find the right person who I can connect with professionally. I have been on the tour long enough to know how to manage daily routines and I don’t want to rush my decision. I will be on the tour alone for a while with support of my family and management. I will inform the public when I find the right person, but for now I thank you for your support and understanding."
The ATP’s all-time Masters 1000 title leader faces a critical stretch during this spring clay-court season. Djokovic is defending 3,600 ranking points as he defends his Madrid and Roland Garros titles as well as points from reaching the Rome final last season.
Since defeating Murray to win his first Roland Garros and complete the career Grand Slam, Djokovic has endured a malaise winning just two titles in his last 12 tournaments.