Novak Djokovic has caught everybody’s consideration by asserting that Andy Murray shall be his coach on the 2025 Australian Open. Though the Serbian ace has skilled one of the crucial sophisticated seasons of his whole profession, nobody might have imagined such a choice.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion did not win a single title in 2024, however he saved his yr due to his sensational run on the Paris Olympics over the summer time. The previous world No. 1 performed his finest tennis simply when he wanted it, profitable the Olympic match with out dropping a single set and defeating Carlos Alcaraz within the remaining.
Novak Djokovic© Stream screenshot
In the remainder of the season, Novak has not been so sensible and has struggled to search out the fitting motivation particularly within the second-tier tournaments. For the primary time since 2017 and for the second time since 2011, Nole has completed a whole season with out profitable a single Main title.
For all these causes, 2025 shall be a pivotal yr for the continuation of his legendary profession. The Serbian’s most important aim is to win his twenty fifth Grand Slam title, maybe already on the Australian Open, one in every of his favourite tournaments ever.
The 37-year-old from Belgrade won’t be the highest favourite at Melbourne Park as he has at all times been throughout his profession, however he’ll begin behind gamers like Sinner and Alcaraz.
Nole will play extra in 2025
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has already promised that in 2025 he’ll play greater than final season and has introduced that he’ll take part within the Brisbane Worldwide earlier than the 2025 AO. The present world quantity 7 needs to reach ready for the Joyful Slam, the place he didn’t play his finest tennis this yr (dropping to Sinner within the semifinals).
Novak won’t be accompanied by Murray in Brisbane, however the former British champion shall be often current in Melbourne from January 12. The three-time Grand Slam champion retired from skilled tennis this summer time and nobody thought he would have a brand new function on the tour so quickly, however Andy loves tennis an excessive amount of.
Novak Djokovic, ATP Finals 2023© Stream screenshot
In an extended interview with ‘Tennis Weekly’, World No.8 Andrey Rublev mentioned the brand new collaboration between Andy and Nole: “Andy, when he was playing, liked to honour his team with some not very nice comments, so I want to see if Novak will make such comments to him too, because Novak can sometimes get very emotional… That’s why I can’t wait to see how Murray will react in such situations.”
The Russian ace continued: “Novak Djokovic is one of the best players ever, he knows everything about tennis, that’s why I don’t know what Murray can bring him!?
The good thing is that they are good friends, so the energy will be positive. Novak can notice something different and therefore feel fresher and more motivated, and that sometimes means more than other things at that level.”
An enchanting collaboration
Everyone seems to be questioning what a former world number one like Murray will convey to Nole’s sport. The Serbian champion has realized that the hierarchies of the boys’s tour have modified within the final one and that he wants new options to return to win essentially the most prestigious titles.
Novak might attempt to undertake a extra aggressive tennis than prior to now to shorten the period of rallies and be extra sensible within the decisive moments of the varied matches. Andy has no expertise as a coach and a few imagine he wants time to actually assist Djokovic, however the feeling is that the Serbian desperately must get again to profitable methods in 2025. The previous world No. 1 will flip 38 subsequent season and – if he does not win a single Main title in 2025 – he might start thinking about retirement.
Novak Djokovic, Buenos Aires 2024© Stream screenshot
Talking with the official ATP web site, legendary coach Brad Gilbert additionally mirrored on this fascinating partnership: “I kind of sensed that Novak was going to do something. You didn’t know what he was going to do, but you kind of sensed that he probably needed something, and something to motivate him. And obviously he goes way back with Andy.”
Brad additionally added: “The very first thing I’ll wish to do after I’m in Australia is simply go watch Murray and Novak observe. It is going to be fascinating, do they practise collectively? Is he working towards with a observe accomplice? And I wish to see if I discover something completely different early within the first spherical. As a coach myself and a former participant, I’m sort of fascinated seeing if there’s something completely different straight away.”
The 2025 Australian Open there would be the first solutions about the way forward for one of many biggest athletes of the fashionable period.
