Novak Djokovic has shared his thoughts on Stefanos Tsitsipas appointing his former coach Goran Ivanisevic.
Tsitsipas confirmed last week that he will start working with 2001 Wimbledon champion Ivanisevic at the beginning of the grass-court season.
In a statement, Tsitsipas said: “Working with Goran is an exciting opportunity for me.
“He is someone who has reached the highest levels of tennis, both as a player and as a coach. I am confident that his experience will help me grow further and I am really looking forward to that.”
The collaboration comes after Tsitsipas’ disappointing second round French Open loss to world No 167 Matteo Gigante last week.
The Greek has parted ways with Kerei Abakar and Dimitris Chatzinikolaou – coaches he has been working with this year.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude too Kerei and Dimitris for their dedication, support, and work over the past few months,” Tsitsipas wrote on his Instagram story.
“Working with them has been a meaningful chapter in my journey, and I’m deeply thankful for the effort and commitment they brought to the team.”
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Ivanisevic, a former world No 2, helped Djokovic win nine Grand Slam titles during an incredibly successful coaching collaboration between June 2019 and March 2024.
The 53-year-old Croatian coached his compatriot Marin Cilic to his only major title at the 2014 US Open, while he also briefly worked with former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina at the start of this season.
Djokovic spoke candidly when asked about Tsitsipas’ partnership with Ivanisevic.
“I’m sure he can help any player, and especially Stefanos, mentally,” the 24-time major champion told the media at the French Open.
“I can see that Stefanos has bigger fluctuations in that regard now. He doubts his game, it’s visible. I believe Goran can guide him a bit and draw his attention to the right things.
“When we talk about Goran Ivanisevic, the serve is number one. Stefanos has a good serve, but there’s always an element that can be improved.
“And the backhand – we all know that’s probably the weakest point of his game. Even though Goran played with a two-handed backhand, I’m sure he has a clear vision of what he wants to do with him. It will be interesting to see how their cooperation develops.”
Ivanisevic is expected to be in Tsitsipas’ coaching box for the first time at the Halle Open, an ATP 500 grass-court tournament that will begin on June 16.
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