Novak Djokovic has revealed he has added a very familiar face to his coaching team at the Monte Carlo Masters in the absence of Andy Murray.
The 24-time major champion started working with his former rival Murray during the off-season in a move that stunned the tennis world.
The collaboration has largely brought positive results thus far, with the pair having joined forces at the Australian Open and the Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.
Djokovic made an impressive run to the semi-finals in Australia, where he beat Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals before injury forced him to retire against Alexander Zverev.
The Serbian fell to a shock defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp in his opening match in Indian Wells, but he bounced back by reaching the final at the Miami Open.
The world No 5 is competing at the Monte Carlo Masters, where he is set to begin his clay-court campaign.
Djokovic has divulged that his brother, Marko Djokovic, will coach him in Monte Carlo and explained he and Murray had agreed that the Brit would not join him at the tournament.
“I’m here with my brother, my brother is helping me [in] a tennis coach role this week,” he said at his pre-tournament press conference in Monte Carlo.
“It was never part of the program or an agreement in the schedule to work with Andy this week. So I was thinking about who I want, if I want to have anybody besides my fitness coach and physio.
“And then Marko, my brother was happy to join me so, of course, that helps me on a different level, emotionally as well. I mean, to have my brother spend some time with him as well on the road, I don’t get to see him much, so it’s great for me.”
Asked about Murray’s whereabouts, Djokovic said: “I have no idea, to be honest (laughs). I spoke to him about, four or five days ago, and he was back home.
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“I mean, obviously busy with family and I guess he’s working on his golf swing. That’s his priority, I guess, this week.”
The 37-year-old went on to add that he and Murray had a debrief after Miami and revealed they are next due to link up at the Madrid Open.
“We spoke about Miami, obviously a little bit of a bitter feeling in the end to lose the finals,” Djokovic continued.
“But I think it was overall a great tournament with high-quality tennis from my side, haven’t dropped the set until the finals and served great, played well. Yeah, just a bit unlucky in that finals two tiebreaks, but he was better, that’s all.
“But it gives me a lot of a great deal of encouragement and positivity, I think, reflecting on my game and how I played in Miami.
“And we are planning to be together in Madrid. And then we see, I don’t know, I mean, probably Roland Garros, we still have to talk about it after Madrid.”
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