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Nov/17

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Radek Stepanek Officially Joins Team Djokovic

Djokart

By Scoop Malinowski

Crafty Czech Republic tennis legend Radek Stepanek has officially joined forces with former ATP World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

“Its official, I’m honored to be a new member of Novak’s team,” the recently retired Stepanek said on his Instagram account. “It is a new and exciting challenge for me, which I’m looking forward to and I believe that as a team we can help Nole to reach his goals. As longtime friends off the tennis court, I believe that our friendship and similar views will translate onto the court as well and we will share some memorable moments together. so lets get to work IDEMO @djokernole.”

It will be interesting to see if the gamesmanship and trickery aspects of Stepanek’s arsenal will translate into Djokovic’s game and if Djokovic can revert back to the ruthless cutthroat super champion he was before 2016.

It’s hard to imagine a tenacious gladiator like Stepanek allowing Djokovic to continue his “love and peace” court demeanor which many pundits feel contributed to his mediocre results, along with alleged distracting personal issues regarding infidelity with his wife.

Stepanek does seem to be an appropriate choice to rejuvenate Djokovic’s vicious, ruthless nature on court, which has been mysteriously absent for most of the last two years. Stepanek was respected as a tremendous competitor, mentored by Aussie Open champion and former world no. 2 Petr Korda, to overcome early career failures to eventually develop into a top ten player, doubles Grand Slam champion, and two-time Davis Cup winning hero.

Stepanek surely has a plan of attack to restore Djokovic’s lost aura of invincibility which shocked and awed the tennis world from 2011-2015.

(Djokovic art by Andres Bella.)

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115 comments

  • GameSetAndMath · December 19, 2017 at 11:39 am

    Hiring of Craig is official. Also, Craig is really smart about the game (while not really a pro himself). He is not just a statistician. I have read his columns in "brain game" and most of the time, I found his observations to be quite on the money. He would certainly be an useful addition to any of the top players' team.

  • GameSetAndMath · December 19, 2017 at 11:42 am

    Busted said:

    I know why he needs a 2nd coach…i just don't think that Stepanek is the right guy for Djokovic. He needs somebody with an edge and who knows what it takes to not only beat the best but BE the best. What was Stepanek's highest ranking – 8 for 1 or 2 weeks? Just not buying that he's a guy who'll make a difference when someone has much natural talent – and already knows how to win – as Djokovic.Click to expand…

    This is a classic confusion about the role of a coach. The coach does not have to be a big time player themselves. However, they should not be a mere arm-chair quarterback and should have played the game themselves at some level or another. The notion of supercoaches (former players with 6+ slams) is just a recent trend and is not necessarily a good idea always. I think Stepanek will be a good coach.

    If you are dissing Stepanek, then go ahead and diss Moya as well. This does not make sense.

  • Federberg · December 19, 2017 at 11:50 am

    While I agree with your basic point, it’s a bit of a stretch to equate Moyà and Stepanek. One is a former slam winner and #1!

  • GameSetAndMath · December 19, 2017 at 11:54 am

    I am not claiming they both are of the same status. But, if one is thinking in terms of supercoaches, neither are and in that sense they are equivalent.

  • mrzz · December 19, 2017 at 12:02 pm

    GameSetAndMath said:

    Hiring of Craig is official. Also, Craig is really smart about the game (while not really a pro himself). He is not just a statistician. I have read his columns in "brain game" and most of the time, I found his observations to be quite on the money. He would certainly be an useful addition to any of the top players' team.Click to expand…

    Agreed. In fact, even if he was "just an statistician", as he is a good one, it is a good addition. I guess people are underestimating some aspects of the game. Those guys play countless balls. There are a lot of useful statistics out there. In some cases it will mean less time on court against lesser players, which is already reason enough to hire one guy like that. Some times it could mean the difference between winning and losing against a good player — just one of those in a year is a good enough reason.

    Actually that's a job I would like to try myself, I am sure I would do it quite well (some other guys here on board too).

    GameSetAndMath said:

    This is a classic confusion about the role of a coach. The coach does not have to be a big time player themselves. However, they should not be a mere arm-chair quarterback and should have played the game themselves at some level or another. The notion of supercoaches (former players with 6+ slams) is just a recent trend and is not necessarily a good idea always. I think Stepanek will be a good coach.Click to expand…

    Agreed again (it is getting tiresome!). Just look at Ljubicic! He just got one guy who was candidate for GOAT and let him distinctly better! How hard do you guys think is that?

  • Scoop Malinowski · December 19, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    Scoop Malinowski writes:

    Djokovic is going ALL IN on his quest to be king again. Not sure I've ever seen a player WANT IT as much as Djokovic does. Maybe he will hire Hewitt or yours truly next to be his emotional adrenaline management consultant 🙂

  • Federberg · December 19, 2017 at 12:56 pm

    Are you really saying ljubicic did nothing?

  • Busted · December 19, 2017 at 1:00 pm

    GameSetAndMath said:

    This is a classic confusion about the role of a coach. The coach does not have to be a big time player themselves. However, they should not be a mere arm-chair quarterback and should have played the game themselves at some level or another. The notion of supercoaches (former players with 6+ slams) is just a recent trend and is not necessarily a good idea always. I think Stepanek will be a good coach.

    If you are dissing Stepanek, then go ahead and diss Moya as well. This does not make sense.Click to expand…

    My comment was more about the particular dynamics of Stepanek and Djokovic and NOT coaches in general. If it was all about needing a "supercoach" then I'd be crapping on Luthi and Ljubicic. Clearly they fit in well with Roger. Djokovic though was struggling mentally as well as physically last year. Boris is a jerk, but he was able to push and help Djokovic with the mental side of things. I just think when you've reached the level Djokovic has, with his personality, it may be harder for him to take crunch time advice from a guy who's never won anything. Sure, he's got Agassi there as a consultant but isn't Stepanek doing the bulk of the coaching? We'll see how it goes…but Stepanek could be the wrong coach at the wrong time.

  • mrzz · December 19, 2017 at 1:26 pm

    Federberg said:

    Are you really saying ljubicic did nothing?Click to expand…

    No! Quite the opposite! (Just corrected one typo on my original post).

    I probably didn't expressed myself decently. What I mean is: how the hell you get a guy who is close to perfection (all three of the big three are) and makes him visibly better? Because you can give credit to the other guys, but the backhand, the return and even the running forehand got visibly better basically since Ljubicic got in.

  • Moxie · December 19, 2017 at 6:40 pm

    I think this is a good point: that just because you won a bunch of Slams, doesn't mean you'd make a good coach. (People bring up Pete occasionally, and I don't get the feeling he'd make a good coach.) It must be about ability to analyze a player's game and those of others, create strategies, and probably most of all, have a good rapport with the player. Stepanek seems like a smart, chill guy, like Ljubicic for Roger. Moyà makes perfect sense for Rafa, because of the "nearly" family relationship they have. I do think an ex-player is critical. Lendl worked for Murray for specific reasons that we all understand, I think, but it doesn't mean that everyone needs a SuperCoach. Plus, Nole has Andre. Understandable if Agassi can't commit to a full schedule.

  • Scoop Malinowski · December 19, 2017 at 6:40 pm

    Scoop Malinowski writes:

    Ljubicic is a master coach. He is the first coach that Federer has had who as actually played and beaten all of the top players Fed is beating still. I think Ljubicic is a serious upgrade from Edberg, Annacone and Luthi. Ljubicic deserves the most credit for Fed's resurgence IMO.

  • Moxie · December 19, 2017 at 6:44 pm

    But Luthi is still around, right? I thought he was always sort of perennial ballast.

  • Scoop Malinowski · December 19, 2017 at 8:11 pm

    Scoop Malinowski writes:

    Can't recall hearing Federer every publicly crediting Luthi in anything but vague references. Until Fed really pours the praise on Luthi it's only reasonable to assume he's more like a good mate or childhood chum, than any kind of special master strategic guru.

  • Moxie · December 19, 2017 at 8:18 pm

    I think that's my point…he's there for stability. Continuity.

  • GameSetAndMath · December 19, 2017 at 11:35 pm

    scoop said:

    Scoop Malinowski writes:

    Can't recall hearing Federer every publicly crediting Luthi in anything but vague references. Until Fed really pours the praise on Luthi it's only reasonable to assume he's more like a good mate or childhood chum, than any kind of special master strategic guru.Click to expand…

    This year, they gave "best Swiss coach" award to Luthi and Fed praised him a lot. Google up for recent announcements about this.

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