Novak Djokovic has shed light on the impact of his current coaching setup, which has undergone a complete makeover in the space of a few months.
For context, Djokovic has reshaped his coaching and backroom team since the second half of 2023. After winning the US Open last year, he split from long-time business agents Edoardo Artaldi and Elena Cappellaro.
Artaldi and Cappellaro are an Italian couple that has worked with Djokovic since 2009. Djokovic promoted his former sparring partner Carlos Gomez-Herrera to the role of interim business manager to work alongside Mark Madden.
But that was only the first step. In March, Djokovic mutually agreed to part ways with Goran Ivanisevic, his coach of five years. He has since brought in countryman Nenad Zimonjic to take over coaching responsibilities in the short term.
He is still weighing the option of going full-time without a coach, and Zimonjic recently hinted at the end of their collaboration. For now, the two will work together in Rome and potentially at the French Open.
Djokovic has also replaced one of his fitness coaches, Marco Panichi, with Gebhard Gritsch, who has been in his inner circle for many years. When asked to comment on the recent changes in his team, a nonchalant Djokovic was blunt in his answer.
“I am working currently with a fitness coach that I worked with for many years. It didn’t take much time to adapt to his program and approach. We know each other really well. That’s why I feel like we’re synchronized from the very beginning in terms of what we want to do, how we want to approach the program of training on and off the court. With Nenad (Zimonjic) of course, as well.”
Djokovic is playing fewer tournaments this year and revealed his schedule after Rome. The Italian Open is his first tournament in almost a month and just his second on European clay this season.
“So, yeah, I’m pleased with the way the last 10 days, 14 days went in terms of training, in terms of preparation and looking ahead to this tournament, but particularly Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Olympic Games.”
“That’s the block for which we are preparing the most. Yeah, we just have to see, wait and see, how it’s going to be translated, that work, or transformed into a good performance on the court.”
