Gored by Novak: what explains Djokovic’s surprising coaching split from Ivanisevic?

Over time, the scenes became familiar: Novak Djokovic, the GOAT-in-Waiting, arguing with his coach Goran Ivanisevic on the practice court. Or berating Ivanisevic in a monologue delivered on court, mid-match. After securing his Grand Slam record-breaking 23rd title at Roland Garros last June, Djokovic even spoke of how he “tortured” his support team. Then he added that he really appreciated the fellas being his “rock.”

Fewer than 12 months later, one rock has been flung aside.

In a saccharine Instagram post published on Wednesday, Djokovic, whose Slam haul now totals 24, announced that he and Ivanisevic “decided to stop working together” a few days earlier. The unexpected move will have a salutary effect on Ivanisevic’s sleep cycle.

“He keeps you in stress, you know,” Ivanisevic told reporters after that record-securing win last spring. “Stress level is always high. It never goes down.”

Just how the bust-up will affect Djokovic is a more complicated issue.

Some great players are conspicuous tyrants, others prefer to cloak their maneuverings behind a veil of amenability. But the reality is that all great players are ruthless when it comes to hunting their ambitions. Djokovic can’t be lusting for very much in the way of further accomplishments but—and this is something he has in common with the rank journeyman—he seems to have a fierce desire to hang on. To extend his career. To feast on more major titles and to revel in his GOAT-hood for all the world to see.

Some great players are conspicuous tyrants, others prefer to cloak their maneuverings behind a veil of amenability. But the reality is that all great players are ruthless when it comes to hunting their ambitions. Djokovic can’t be lusting for very much in the way of further accomplishments but—and this is something he has in common with the rank journeyman—he seems to have a fierce desire to hang on. To extend his career. To feast on more major titles and to revel in his GOAT-hood for all the world to see.

The urge is easy to understand in light of Djokovic’s conspicuous fitness, but his body is at war with age. He may be a super fit 36-year old, but already in that zone where a player begins to take puzzling losses and suffer physical setbacks. In recent months, Djokovic been whupped by Jannik Sinner in three of four meetings, including one at the Grand Slam that Djokovic has dominated, the Australian Open. At Indian Wells, he struggled through one three-set match and then lost his next one to a 20-year Italian ranked No. 123, Luca Nardi. The loss prompted him to pull out of the on-going Miami Open.

So here we are. This legendary explorer of options needs to find new solutions to get himself back on track, much the way he once needed Boris Becker to help get him over the twin speed bumps of Federer and Nadal. Or the way Ivanisevic found a way to add those much-needed extra miles-per-hour to his serve.

It’s hard to imagine that Djokovic’s trouble can be laid at the doorstep of Ivanisevic. Everyone knows, or should know, that coaching isn’t exactly rocket science, and over time it involves more cooing and stroking than wrenching on rusted volleys or locked-up forehands. In recent years, though, we’ve seen a trend to players dropping coaches at or near the peak of productivity and reaching for something new, something different. The reset is intended to provide a player with a fresh infusion of motivation, energy, and feedback.

“He's not an easy guy, let's put it this way. He is not easy guy. Especially when something's not going his way. But we are here to [offer] our back and to get beaten, you know. That's what the team is for.” Goran Ivanisevic after Djokovic's 23rd Grand Slam victory at 2023 Roland Garros

There’s no law saying the relationship between player and coach must last X-number of years, but it’s still hard to figure out exactly why Djokovic is dumping Ivanisevic (social media announcements of a coaching change are produced with more spin than a Nadal forehand). Instead of admitting that he is groping for solutions, or searching for renewed motivation, Djokovic wrote of his time with Ivanisevic that “Our on-court chemistry had its ups and downs, but our friendship was always rock solid.”

Wouldn’t it have been more palatable if Djokovic just admitted that he needs things that he feels Ivanisevic can no longer give him, or that he needs an emotional reset, or even that he’s in the grip of a late career panic? Djokovic’s extraordinary record and his physical durability have created a humdinger of a conundrum. What constitutes success for him going forward, and who can fix his age as if it were an errant forehand?

But of one thing there is no doubt: Ivanisevic brought a lot to Djokovic’s table besides a willingness to play Parchisi and a talent for analyzing the serve. He brought a keen eye and a capacity for absorbing abuse while setting aside his own considerable ego.

“He chain[ed] us with handcuffs for three days,” Ivanisevic explained in response to Djokovic’s post-RG revelations last year. The coach was smiling as he spoke, but you had to wonder how amusing he actually found the situation. “He's not an easy guy, let's put it this way. He is not easy guy. Especially when something's not going his way. But we are here to [offer] our back and to get beaten, you know. That's what the team is for.”

It may not be much consolation, but Ivanisevic can also rest in the knowledge that Djokovic probably tortures no one more than himself.