Tennis Prose




May/17

6

Djokovic’s Coaching Options

Novak_ready_to_enter_courtThis week Novak Djokovic has cleaned his coaching house, parting ways with his long-time coach, physio and fitness team members in one devastating swoop. So the big question has emerged…who will the former ATP world no. 1 hire to replace Marian Vajda?

Martina Navratilova: A longshot option for sure, but the legendary lefty knows the sport and could help Djokovic’s attacking game and his motivation issues. Navratilova was able to maintain her playing intensity and fitness through three decades. Navratilova had a failed relation with Aga Radwanska and could be eager to rebuild her lost coaching credibility.

Darren Cahill: Killer has worked wonders with a rejuvenated Andre Agassi. Could instill a rejuvenation into the stagnating Djokovic. Cahill has loads of experience working with legendary baseliners Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt. Could possibly tinker with the Djokovic game and raise it to another level.

Brad Gilbert: Has a proven record of getting the most out of Andre Agassi, Brad Gilbert and Andy Murray. It’s unknown how the personalities of these two gregarious personalities would mesh.

Marcelo Rios: Djokovic has great respect for Rios who recently turned down an offer to coach Tommy Haas. It’s an odd, quirky concept to consider Rios as a coach for Djokovic but we all know Djokovic is not your typical, traditional, normal thinker.

Pete Sampras: Sampras has said that he would not rule out coaching a top player in an interview last year despite his issues with traveling and time away from home. If Djokovic were to make the call to one of his childhood tennis heroes, you have to wonder how Sampras would react.

Andre Agassi: If anyone could help Djokovic to find his way out of this current struggle period it’s Agassi who knows a thing or two about rebuilding and reconstructing a broken tennis player. The question of course is does Agassi have the time or the interest to devote to coaching a player?

John McEnroe: The most intriguing option. McEnroe and Djokovic are good friends and have had good relations for years. McEnroe adores Djokovic as a person and a player. McEnroe has had a number of disappointments as a coach and knowing his competitive nature, it’s highly likely he is motivated to find success and experience guiding a top player to Grand Slam success.

Final analysis: I would guess John McEnroe is the favorite of this list. Djokovic needs an accomplished legend who knows what it takes to win major titles. McEnroe knows and is tune with today’s game and players tendencies. While I consider it possible and not probable, I believe Djokovic’s best option for a coach is John McEnroe.

(Photo by Henk Abbink)

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130 comments

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 11, 2017 at 8:54 am

    Then why is she so universally disliked by all the other players? Not a single friend on the Tour – Her behavior and attitude has created this poison like reaction from the other players – Not unlike Rios –

  • catherine bell · May 11, 2017 at 9:24 am

    Maybe Maria doesn’t want friends on the tour. That’s her right.

    And really, do we honestly know who likes or dislikes her ? You only go by what others tell you. We really have no idea what goes on between the players most of the time.

    And also – the other players should not talk to the press about their personal feelings,resentments etc. That’s despicable. I don’t blame Maria for wanting to keep a distance.

    Let’s hope this story will die away once we reach Paris and there’s other things to think about.

  • Chazz · May 11, 2017 at 9:46 am

    Sharapova will have more haters among fans and peers than most players because of the failed drug test/suspension. That will stick with her for the rest of her career. It might actually be worse for her than baseball players because she’s the only prominent tennis player it has happened to, while there are so many baseball players that have been caught juicing.

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 11, 2017 at 9:47 am

    Catherine; Players are gonna talk and they’re gonna chirp – Obviously Sharapova is heavily disliked by her peers and that is an interesting story – When one person is disliked by so many others who do you blame? The one single player or ALL the others? Obviously Sharapova wants it that way and feels she plays her best this way. She has said she’s not on Tour to make friends she plays tennis to win and her approach has worked well. I know a lot of great players who are like her and they rarely talk to anyone and they have an aura and mystique and then there are other great players who are well liked and popular. Don’t feel sorry for Sharalova she is doing it HER WAY.

  • catherine bell · May 11, 2017 at 10:31 am

    I don’t feel sorry for Maria – not at all. That was the point of my comment I suppose.
    It’s kind of tribal behaviour I think – the exceptions are outsiders.

    I don’t feel sorry for anyone, more sympathy for those who maybe don’t have thick skins and can suffer a bit when things aren’t going right.

  • catherine bell · May 11, 2017 at 12:08 pm

    Murray out in Madrid – his time at No 1 curiously mirroring Kerber’s 🙂

    (I know Angie’s 2 now but who knows where she’ll be in the next rankings ?)

  • scoopmalinowski · May 11, 2017 at 12:15 pm

    Shocking loss to Coric because he killed Coric last time they played. Coric clearly improving a lot this year.

  • Hartt · May 11, 2017 at 4:03 pm

    Did you see the terrific match between Thiem and Dimitrov? Some great play by both guys, it was a close, entertaining match that went to a thrilling third set TB that Thiem won 11-9. Grigor had 5 MPs in that TB but Dominic kept his cool and pulled it off. The crowd was very pro Dimitrov, chanting “GRI GOR, GRI GOR.” This was one of the best matches I have seen in a long while. I was rooting for Dominic, so was thrilled when he managed to win.

    Not so happy with a couple other resuts. Milos losing to Goffin who played very well. And Andy, not playing well, losing to Coric.

    Rafa winning easily over a flat Kyrgios was not an interesting match.

  • catherine bell · May 11, 2017 at 5:41 pm

    Well Genie got well and truly spanked.
    I’ll be very mean and say well done Kuznetsova 🙂

  • Andrew Miller · May 11, 2017 at 7:04 pm

    Bouchard has no friends, but her non friends have her cell phone number. I’m sure friendless Maria Sharapova also has her non friends cell phone numbers also. And her peers have Sharpie on speed dial

    This is all getting ridiculous.

    They aren’t going to love their fellow tour buddies if they too fail a test for too much next generation meldo.

  • Chazz · May 11, 2017 at 8:43 pm

    Yes Hartt, I saw fhe latter part of the Dimitrov Thiem match and was very happy I did. I just wish both of them could have moved on, they played at such a high level.

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 11, 2017 at 10:44 pm

    Super G keeps losing these long battle heartbreakers – five sets to Nadal in Aus – 76 in third to Sock in IW – and now this one today blowing five match points – Super G is not a closer and he’s lacking killer instinct – Too nice?

  • Andrew Miller · May 12, 2017 at 1:34 am

    Why no friends talk on ATP tour? Are the men above this friends talk?

    I despise the so and so has no friends line. It’s used to isolate players. Players use the press to get at one another. On the ATP tour players use twitter or their coaches take to the airwaves to disparage another player.

    All bad form to me. But the line on no friends is getting older by the day.

  • catherine bell · May 12, 2017 at 2:23 am

    I wish this whole thing would just die and get buried.

    On the WTA side it’s just a sign of how little the on court action is actually catching attention.

    Simona will win Madrid but I think it’s been a washout of a tournament with unpleasant behaviour on the part of the players (some of them) and the press (almost all of them).

    And if Angie doesn’t follow Simona’s example earlier and take a break, she is done.
    Maybe over training, too much practising, too much stress, on and off court – body and mind need a rest.

    Skip the clay – go on to the grass.

  • catherine bell · May 12, 2017 at 6:14 am

    Oh and PS to Bouchard’s thrashing – Kuznetova has defended Maria so don’t tell me there wasn’t an element of Russian solidarity in that match 🙂

    And the players are ‘tired of talking about Maria’ – let’s all stop then ?

  • Hartt · May 12, 2017 at 6:57 am

    Scoop, as the score showed, that was a very close match – either guy could have won. But I think one difference came down to some poor on-court decisions Dimitrov made, and that had an impact, especially in the TB. Thiem made some big shots in key moments. Kept his cool, even when facing MPs.

  • Hartt · May 12, 2017 at 7:27 am

    A different take on the WTA friendship conversation – through playing doubles together Kuznetsova and Mladenovic have become friends. They have praised each other in public, Kiki saying Kuzzy is a great person and that she has the perfect game for clay. Kuzzy has praised Kiki’s game, and after Kiki’s QF win Sveta sent her a congratulatory text, even though they will face each other in the SF. Kuzzy said she will treat the SF like any other match.

    Both are playing well, this should be a good match.

  • catherine bell · May 12, 2017 at 7:54 am

    Hartt –
    I wish more women would behave like that – perhaps they could play more doubles and become friendlier in that way. Andrew would approve.

    But I do believe a lot of this unfriendliness stuff is stirred up by the press and their unrelenting questions – generally my experience was that the players get along ok, some closer than others obviously but few real enmities. And I don’t believe things have changed, not essentially.

    Final ? Halep v Mladenovic – winner Simona (no OCC please !)

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 12, 2017 at 8:17 am

    Andrew there are friendships and alliances – The Spanish Armada does not seem as united as it used to be – Paire and Stan are buddies – of course Nick and Sock – Isner has a lot of friends – Andy murray likes Nick and Kokkinakis a lot – on the WTA side Kuznetsova is a very nice and popular – Caroline Wozniacki also – Ivanovic was well liked – There are friendships in pro tennis but it’s hard when they have to play each other with $o much at $take –

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 12, 2017 at 8:22 am

    Catherine; What has the press done so “unpleasant”? I don’t get any feel that the press has wrecked the tourney at all – It’s a Fantastic event –

  • Scoop Malinowski · May 12, 2017 at 8:25 am

    Yes players are good friends when they are winning but once they start losing watch out – A coach told me this about the WTA – Interesting match Kiki vs Kuzy – Kuzy has a nice way of playing which does not anger or annoy opponents except she does resort to loud grunting groaning at times during stress situation in a match which seems designed to distract the opponent –

  • Chazz · May 12, 2017 at 9:33 am

    Tiafoe update – he moved into the Aix en Provence challenger semifinal with a 6-3, 7-6 win over Quentin Halys. This was a big win for him because Halys had his number, he beat Tiafoe all three times they played last year. Tiafoe now waits for the Opelka/Jaziri winner.

  • catherine bell · May 12, 2017 at 10:29 am

    Scoop –

    The press hasn’t ‘wrecked’ the event. The men’s side has been fine. It’s just the Sharapova aspect and the perpetual questioning players about it – Murray complained about that and the goading of women players to comment etc so that even they have got sick of answering questions from what I hear.
    My answer to Hartt really covered that.

    They’ll be plenty more in the papers over here I’m sure but politics will be occupying most people’s minds this summer.
    (I was once press myself but I got pretty sick of the provocative type of questions which had nothing to do with the game on court – at W’don they tend to be strict about that)

  • scoopmalinowski · May 12, 2017 at 10:38 am

    Sharapova dominates the news even after she loses. Halep in headlines doesnt attract readers. If Sharapova sneezes its bigger news than anything Halep does.

  • scoopmalinowski · May 12, 2017 at 10:40 am

    Tiafoe is ready to knock off a top eight seed in Paris. Remember where you heard it first.

  • Hartt · May 12, 2017 at 11:03 am

    Halep does not seem to generate a lot of interest outside of serious tennis fans and in her home country. Interestingly, the new Rogers Cup TV commercials feature Venus in place of Serena, with a quote about not being told you can’t do it. They did not choose Halep for that spot, even though she is the defending champ.

  • catherine bell · May 12, 2017 at 11:50 am

    Simona, nice as she is and talented, does not have star power. I’m not sure if she’d be bothered about that although I’m sure she’s aware of it. Being an idol in her own country probably means more to her.

    Sharapova can generate headlines just standing around.

    Kerber is attractive and she’ll always be a favourite in Germany but her on court presence can be subdued, enigmatic maybe and I always get a feeling she’s holding something back. A kind of duality. She’s not a crowd puller. Some tennis followers I know barely registered her as No 1 even when she was playing well.

    It’s a funny thing, star quality.

    Hartt – I’m slightly amazed that Rogers Cup ads did not feature Simona. If I were her I’d be a bit annoyed about that. It’s as if they think she’ll drive away spectators.

  • Andrew Miller · May 12, 2017 at 3:31 pm

    Scoop funny on Halep sneezing. True.

  • Hartt · May 12, 2017 at 4:10 pm

    So in the battle of the good friends Sveta won over Kiki. It will be Mladenovic’s first Premier Mandatory final.

    Some big wins in doubles. Kyrgios/Sock won over the Bryans. Feli Lopez/Marc Lopez defeated Kontinen/Peers. And it was Mahut/Roger-Vasselin over Murray/Soares.

  • catherine bell · May 12, 2017 at 4:35 pm

    Andrew
    It’s Sharapova sneezing is news, not Simona. Simona sneezing someone would just offer her a handkerchief.

    Simona in 2 tomorrow.

    Kuznetsova gave her all in bashing up Bouchard 🙂

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