“Djokovic blaming everybody but himself”- Novak Djokovic faces brutal scrutiny from fans on social media hours after dropping Goran Ivanisevic from his team
The Serb called it quits on his coaching deal with the Croatian hero after spending nearly 6 years together on the Tour, winning 12 singles Majors together.
Goran Ivanisevic and Novak Djokovic (Images via IMAGO)
In a rather unexpected turn of events, World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has parted ways with longtime coach Goran Ivanisevic. The Djoker took to his social media account to announce the decision in a heartfelt post to his coach from 2018.
Ivanisevic joined the Serb back in 2018 and led him to 12 Grand Slam singles titles. This saw Djokovic’s tally double for Major titles as he overtook rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the race for most singles Majors for the first time in his career.
Having almost thought of ending his career due to his injuries, Ivanisevic quite literally revived Nole’s career. Djokovic repaid his confidence with brilliant wins on the court. The relationship between the two often looked heated on the court, but it was only in the moment.
The two often admitted to being like family off the court. All of this led to the surprise of everyone when the decision to split was announced. Nole’s message hinted at disagreements over on-court decisions, which led to their split. Nevertheless, he didn’t harbor any ill feelings for the Croatian icon.
Novak Djokovic targeted on social media for splitting with Goran Ivanisevic
With the two former Wimbledon winners known for their strong personalities, they often had verbal exchanges on the court between matches. Djokovic was often spotted shouting and screaming at his box, with Ivanisevic also reacting a few times.
While the two maintained it was the ‘heat of the moment’, fans have speculated it was one big reason for their split. As the 24-time singles Major winner didn’t go into detail on what went behind the decision, it did lead to him being trolled on social media.
Sharing a wide spectrum of reactions online, here’s what fans have to say:
With Ivanisevic out, no replacement has been named so far. This leaves Djokovic with only his fitness trainers in his team so far. With a poor start to the season so far by Nole’s standard, as he has yet to win a trophy, things should move at a rapid pace before his next Tour appearance.
As per his schedule, he is set to play at the 2024 Monte Carlo Masters next. The event starts on April 7 and will be Djokovic’s debut on clay for the season. With a big title defense at the French Open awaiting him, a good coach would certainly be needed by Nole. The only question will be who is next in line.
