Novak Djokovic is no longer the ruthless tennis machine who brazenly thrived while dethroning and then dominating icons Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
That relentlessly ambitious Djokovic is gone. Today we have a man who seems more interested in building his image as a peace and love ambassador, trying to attract love and adoration from all the fans and media by behaving as a perfect sportsman.
The man who used to roar like a lion and rip off his shirt after monumental wins now likes to gather a group of ballkids to symbolically give their hearts to the world after wins. The unnatural and silly act looks too contrived and flat out phony. Even ardent Djokovic-backer John McEnroe snickered about the charade on NBC on Monday.
Andre Agassi, the new coach of Djokovic, who knows a thing or two about images, has opted to sit away from the “peace and love” guru Pepe Imaz outside the player box. If that isn’t some kind of statement, I don’t know what is.
Jim Courier has noticed a change in Djokovic’s competitive demeanor and is not impressed. The combative two time Roland Garros king they used to call “The Rock” noted he believes Djokovic needs to cut out the peace and love shtick and get back to being a vicious, ferocious fighting machine. Couier, who won four majors overall and reigned as the ATP World No. 1 player, added that Djokovic has to get focused on the job and get nastier out there.
Word has come out that Djokovic sent roses to the WTA locker room this week. Is Djokovic focused on defending his Roland Garros title? Or would he rather win a popularity contest?
Djokovic was down two sets to one to Diego Schwartzman today but ended up winning in five sets to progress to the round of sixteen and possibly a semifinal showdown with Rafael Nadal. But today we did not see anything close to resembling the Djokovic we remember at his pinnacle, the one with the burning obsession to be the best. It seems Djokovic has lost a fraction (or a lot more) of his once unquenchable desire and greed to conquer. Mike Tyson said recently that as he aged in his boxing career, he lost his “desire.”
Having earned over $100 million in his professional career, Djokovic may have lost his desire and replaced it with grander motivations and inspirations. But… “to be the best at anything you have to be willing to get blood on your hands.”
And it does not look like Djokovic has that capacity anymore.
Playing tennis as if he’s had his fangs yanked out and his claws clipped, there is absolutely zero chance Novak Djokovic will defend his Roland Garros title or win any more major titles. – Scoop Malinowski
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1 2 3 Next »Chazz · June 2, 2017 at 5:32 pm
Cheesy, yes absolutely, but Novak is playing better on clay than he was earlier in the year or late last year. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with needing 5 sets to beat Schwartzman, who was awesome today. His problem is he will have to get by Thiem (very possible – he dominated him in Rome) and Nadal (not likely).
Andrew Miller · June 2, 2017 at 7:58 pm
Boris Becker said Djokovic stopped practicing. So this is the obvious result, struggle against worse players because he himself has dropped a level.
Scoop Malinowski · June 2, 2017 at 8:28 pm
Good pts Chazz. Top players often struggle in these mid slam matches before the real key battles come. Fine win but Djokovic has to summon the beast to win this title. Not keep playing Mr Nice Guy Please love me as much as Roger. Who knows maybe Djokovic is playing possum with this peace love act. Bluffing works.
Scoop Malinowski · June 2, 2017 at 8:29 pm
Andrew. This was one of the biggest matches of Diegos life. For Djokovic it was a stepping stone.
Andrew Miller · June 2, 2017 at 10:03 pm
Scoop you know I have zero ability to predict whether a five set win is a turning point, a lucky escape, or just a continuation of sub par play. I have no idea. Sometimes players get a wake up call and then push themselves like Serena Williams at the 2007 Australian open I think. Other times that close call can be just another signal to other opponents that the player is more vulnerable than usual. I have no insight on how the Djoker responds.
But I think we can all agree he hasn’t player like a number one or two player or all time great for a year or so. Maybe he wakes up and finds the inner beast. Maybe he just continues with his Pepe Fruitcake Imaz routine. Who knows. I don’t think Agassi will stick around with fruitcakes around him, but who knows.
scoopmalinowski · June 3, 2017 at 5:24 am
Andrew; its interesting Agassi wont sit with Imaz and he covers his mouth when he talks in that separate box he sits as if he doesnt want anyone to hear what he says. Id guess Agassi is not seeing eye to eye with the peace love guru creep.
catherine · June 3, 2017 at 8:03 am
WTA –
This is a walk in the park for Simona.
Too easy ?
Andrew Miller · June 3, 2017 at 10:36 am
Scoop I don’t think Agassi will stick around with Novak if he doesn’t have the player’s attention. Who’s in charge over there these days anyhows. And why is Djokovic sending flowers to the women’s locker room.
This guy’s a mess. Agassi obviously walked into a mess and with the mistaken idea that Djokovic was just a normal slumping player. He arrives and he realizes Djokovic has fallen off the wagon and a fruitcake intends for him to stay off the wagon.
My estimation of poor Jelena Djoker sadly is much lower than her best fan of all times days several years back. She’s presided over absolute wreckage in the last twelve months.
Andrew Miller · June 3, 2017 at 10:37 am
Catherine Halep is playing well. Dkat had been playing very well. This is a good sign.
catherine · June 3, 2017 at 10:49 am
Andrew –
If Simona carries on playing this well I can’t see anyone in the draw stopping her on the way to the final.
That said, this seems a pretty flat women’s event. Maybe some fireworks next week 🙂
Chazz · June 3, 2017 at 10:50 am
What this about sending flowers to the women’s locker room?
catherine · June 3, 2017 at 12:06 pm
I couldn’t believe that story !
If it’s true suggests Djokovic has lost his marbles or knows something we don’t.
Chazz · June 3, 2017 at 12:16 pm
If that’s true, good luck explaining that one to your wife, Novak.
Andrew Miller · June 3, 2017 at 7:27 pm
He sent 2 bouquets.
Moxie · June 3, 2017 at 9:34 pm
Everyone is wondering what is going on with Djokovic. He says he wants to refocus his game, and hiring Agassi seems to be a step in that direction. But he also continues to do things to de-focus himself, and it shows on the court. He's the great mystery of men's tennis, at the moment.
Fiero425 · June 4, 2017 at 1:44 am
Tell him to give up the "heart salute" at the end of every match he wins! He really hasn't been the same player since he began doing that after taking FO last year IIRC! :facepalm: :nono: :rip:
catherine · June 4, 2017 at 2:24 am
: ) did the ladies respond to Djoko’s floral tribute ? And what flowers would they have chosen ?
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2017 at 8:58 am
Good point Fiero winning Paris was the beginning of the downfall for Djokovic. The heart gesture looks like a ripoff of Guga Kuerten's heart drawing gesture.
Andrew Miller · June 4, 2017 at 9:43 am
Khachaniv d Isner, rising faster in the dirt than imagined. Well Scoop, I think you called this one. The guy is clearly a beast this tournament.
Wozniaki probably my biggest surprise, she’s played very well since last year and has recovered her confidence. She’s now a threat to go deep every big tournament.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2017 at 10:04 am
Andrew; That's another tough loss for poor Isner. Khachanov still alive in draw instead of Zverev and Coric and Kyrgios is a surprise. Wozniacki has turned her career around since poor summer last year. Kiki is taking care of business with Muguruza. Raonic locked in a death struggle with Carrena Busta 4-4 in the fifth.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2017 at 10:24 am
Raonic saved a match point vs Carrena Busta at 4-5 broke and is now rolling on serve.
Andrew Miller · June 4, 2017 at 11:05 am
Scoop Khachanov’s advancing reminds me of 1990 and 1999 when the younger potential champions in waiting, like Ivanisevic and Hewitt and Bruguera and Courier, began to advance much faster on tour. I’ll keep saying it: the big four, big five are “past their prime” even if they are still on top. And guys like Khachanov and others are going to take over, even if they aren’t ready and even if fans aren’t ready.
No one on earth outside of Pete Fischer saw Sampras’ first slam coming, it simply happened (against Agassi, who many predicted would win his first slam in 1990 and it took him a few more years).
Point is we cant predict this stuff but it will happen anyways. It may very well be Khachanov.
catherine · June 4, 2017 at 11:10 am
Raoic rolled on out.
Muguruza about to do the same.
Andrew Miller · June 4, 2017 at 11:11 am
For the life of me I don’t understand why I’m not a huge fan of Muguruza. Maybe it was how easily Coco dispatched her in Australia. Maybe the equally unbelievable occ where her coach begged her to make tactical changes and spoke in English while she responded in Spanish so that he couldn’t understand but maybe her parents or fans or the Spanish tennis federation or someone else could.
She seems like a pretty decent candid interview, smiles a ton, seems to enjoy the sport and her rise in it. I dunno. It’s like winning the French Open is the kiss of death for women’s players who haven’t been there before.
catherine · June 4, 2017 at 11:21 am
Yep – we’ll have a new FO champ this year. Somehow I never saw her defending.
For some reason Muguruza affects me in the same way Konta does – nice girls, talented players overall but I pretty much don’t care what they do, which is unfair I know but that’s life, or human nature or something.
Still see the title as Simona’s.
When was the last serial FO winner ?
Andrew Miller · June 4, 2017 at 12:27 pm
I’m warming a little more to Konta because she puts in the effort and has little more of the instinct. I guess that means if Muguruza and Konta face off I’d be somewhat more content if Konta were to win.
catherine · June 4, 2017 at 1:28 pm
Answering my own question, Justine Henin was the last to win 3 X in a row but I wasn’t following at that time.
Who is Petra Martic ? Ranked 290 and beat 26th ranked ?
Hartt · June 4, 2017 at 1:51 pm
Obviously was disappointed that Milos lost today, but PCB is having an excellent clay season so this was not a total surprise.
As far as young Khachanov goes, he has shown promise for a few years now and continues to improve. Imagine he will be a top 10 player in his career at the very least and expect him to do better than that.
Thiem had a very easy win over Zeballos, winning in SS, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2017 at 4:16 pm
Moxie; Djokovic did not actually hire Agassi. Agassi paid his own way and volunteered his services for a few days. Which leads one to believe Agassi initiated the union. Which is very interesting.
Chazz · June 4, 2017 at 4:25 pm
In my opinion, the three players playing the best are Nadal, Thiem and Djokovic, and it’s a shame they are all on the same half of the draw. My guess is the final will be a letdown because one of those guys will defeat someone from the top half fairly easily.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2017 at 4:35 pm
Verdasco is doing something right too. Carreno Busta is also a dangerous test. Khachanov could be ready to Safinate everyone. But yes it is hard to pick against Rafa Nole or Thiem.
jg · June 4, 2017 at 4:47 pm
Taylor Fritz playing the grass court challenger this week
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2017 at 4:48 pm
Fritz has not played a match since losing in miami.
Fiero425 · June 4, 2017 at 4:55 pm
Diaper duty! :help: :sleep: :sleep2:
Chazz · June 4, 2017 at 4:56 pm
Curious to see if Fritz’s 12 hours/day of training + skipping the clay court season pay off.
jg · June 4, 2017 at 6:21 pm
I predict Fritz gets hot this summer, shoots up the rankings
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2017 at 7:06 pm
Fritz could have been injured to be out that long.
Hartt · June 4, 2017 at 7:34 pm
Doubles news: Several interesting matches tomorrow including:
Women’s R3 Mattek-Sands/Safarova v Kuznetsova/Mladenovic (Kiki is a busy woman these days)
Men’s QF J. Murray/Soares v Gonzalez/Young (Donald still in it)
Mixed Dabrowski/Bopanna v Mirza/Dodig (Both teams have strong doubles players)
Andrew Miller · June 4, 2017 at 8:02 pm
I predict Fritz…I’m not doing that. I don’t think he’s catching fire anytime soon. For now he’s an enigma and, sorry to say, panning out poorly due to personal decisions.
Personal decisions.
Chazz · June 4, 2017 at 8:06 pm
Scoop, Fritz said in an interview that he was skipping the clay season to train. He said he missed out on the training part late last year due to an injury, so he would instead be training during clay season.
Scoop Malinowski · June 4, 2017 at 8:35 pm
How a player that young could deal w the pressure of making it in Atp with a new baby is hard to imagine. Maybe Fritz just needs to think about peace and love eight hours a day.
Andrew Miller · June 4, 2017 at 10:14 pm
Scoop that may be more effective than training 24-7. I just don’t think unless you’re Federer or say Brian Baker that you’re going to do fantastic in isolation. So the whole training super hard bit – really? That’s how he became a top prospect?
Yeah right.
I think for now he’s just an enigma. If he signs on with a vet like Fish or something great. Until then he’s going to be handling his adult life at a teen-age.
Moxie · June 4, 2017 at 10:51 pm
Kuerten's gesture felt completely spontaneous, and was a one-off. Djokovic's pom-pom routine with the ball boys feels staged, wholly manufactured for crowd-appeal. He might consider uncomplicating his routine with a simple wave, and moving on, since his matches haven't been that uncomplicated, and neither has his relationship to the crowd. Or the ball boys, for that matter. He's painting himself into a weird corner.
Fiero425 · June 4, 2017 at 11:24 pm
scoop said:
↑
I think I heard Agassi couldn't stay the whole tournament; family obligations where he's meeting up with Steffi & the kids back in Germany! Not like he made a special trip to help out Nole! He's still in competition with Becker after all these years! :boxing: :hoops: :ptennis:
the AntiPusher · June 5, 2017 at 5:06 am
Novak is that guy in high school that wore the strange outfits, strange hair styles and was the unfunny class clown. He does all of these antics which are mostly phoney ..even the columnist think so too.
catherine · June 5, 2017 at 6:12 am
What a rout 🙂
I can see Simona reaching the final without loss of a set.
catherine · June 5, 2017 at 6:20 am
And then I can see her winning without loss of a set.
Ricardo · June 5, 2017 at 7:21 am
clearly he hasn't lost his desire, it's just that he is in mentally unbalanced state (whatever must be troubling him) that he is temporarily unable to find a solution….my guess is there are too many PC farts who stink too much. Remember the backlash when he said ATP players should be paid more?
Scoop Malinowski · June 5, 2017 at 8:49 am
Halep should win but the fear factor of Kiki's gamesmanship and arousing the French crowd into a fury could be big trouble for a nice simple straight player like Halep. Kiki is willing to do or try anything and that could disturb or disrupt even the best player. Look at how it affected the defending champion yesterday.
Scoop Malinowski · June 5, 2017 at 8:52 am
Ricardo; I believe Djokovic has lost a fraction of his desire. Where is that ruthless intensity? Where is that fiery ferocity? Where are those bulging raging eyes? Djokovic's drive and thirst is not what it was. It's like he's trying to evolve into a Godlier figure than Federer. When Djokovic was at his very beast best his team mantra was not this "peace and love" phooey. Djokovic used to be a ruthless vicious destroyer. Now he's a peace and love ambassador.