Hiring a coach will not be a precise science. There isn’t a single foundational precept that guides athletes by way of this course of and there’s no overarching speculation towards which a coach’s price may be examined. It’s extra summary, much less quantifiable.
In a person self-discipline like tennis, it’s all the tougher. There’s a want for personalities to match, and cohesion, belief and mutual respect are non-negotiable. If something, luck typically performs an outsized function in zeroing in on the suitable individual.
Anticipated storyline
Towards this backdrop, how does one have a look at the Novak Djokovic-Andy Murray mixture? The mouthwatering — no less than on paper — player-coach partnership will debut on the Australian Open, the season’s first Grand Slam match, that will get underway on Sunday, and is already one of the anticipated storylines going into Melbourne.
Born every week aside in Could 1987, the Serb and the Brit have identified one another since childhood. And for 2 years in 2015-16, when Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal had been off tempo, theirs was males’s tennis’ pre-eminent rivalry, that includes 12 clashes, 9 of them in finals, together with three on the Majors.
Murray is a three-time Slam champion, eight-time runner-up and former World No. 1. In reality, the 37-year-old was an lively participant — although far diminished from his glory days — till August 2024. It’s maybe this pedigree, champion mentality and complex information of the ever-shifting sands of modern-day tennis that prompted Djokovic to show to Murray.
Forging a weapon: Djokovic has had success selecting coaches. He struck gold with Goran Ivanisevic, who helped him grasp the artwork of clutch serving. | Photograph credit score: Getty Photos
At 37, Djokovic is within the final leg of his profession. The 24-time Main winner hasn’t received a Tour-level title since November 2023 and is within the midst of his worst run on the Slams since 2016-18 when he went eight occasions and not using a trophy. He’s coming into the Australian Open — a title he has acquired a whopping 10 instances — ranked No. 7 on the earth. Beginning 2008, the 12 months of his first triumph Down Beneath, solely as soon as earlier than has Djokovic touched down in Melbourne ranked exterior the top-five — in 2018 when he misplaced within the spherical of 16.
Djokovic can also be the final man standing from the famed ‘Huge Three’ period, hoping to delay the inevitable takeover of the game by the scintillating duo of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. As the game will get youthful, taller and extra highly effective — Djokovic is 4 years older than the second oldest man within the top-10, Grigor Dimitrov, and doesn’t have a top benefit towards six of the ten finest gamers — he wants contemporary options if he’s to overtake Margaret Courtroom’s 24-Slam rely.
“He [Murray] has a novel perspective on my recreation as one of many biggest rivals that I’ve had,” Djokovic advised atptour.com. “He is aware of the professionals and cons of my recreation and has additionally performed till just lately. So he is aware of all the opposite finest gamers, the kids, and their weaknesses and strengths. I really like speaking to him in regards to the nuances, the main points, how I can enhance, how I can achieve an inch, extra court docket positioning, in comparison with my opponent. And each proportion counts on the highest stage.”
Selecting them proper
What provides hope is the Serb’s personal file in selecting coaches. After all, throughout his earlier stoop (2016-18), he flirted with Andre Agassi for roughly a 12 months and sought philosophical solutions to his on-court travails from a quasi-spiritual guru Pepe Imaz. However exterior of those, his affiliation with coach Marian Vajda has been long-standing, and he struck gold with German legend Boris Becker and Croat Goran Ivanisevic.
Becker had a hand in Djokovic securing six Majors whereas Ivanisevic helped him bag 12. These appointments, when initially introduced, appeared to defy standard logic, for Becker and Ivanisevic had been predominantly attacking gamers and Djokovic a defensive baseliner.
Nonetheless, over time, their imprints had been seen in Djokovic’s progress. Within the presence of Becker, he improved his forecourt expertise an amazing deal, along with his low volleys standing out. With Ivanisevic in tow, Djokovic bettered his serve immeasurably and in addition mastered the artwork of clutch serving. It was no shock that from 2011 to 2024, Djokovic reached 10 Wimbledon finals and succeeded in seven of them.
“Andy is a scholar of the sport, each when it comes to techniques, and well being and health,” mentioned Australian doubles nice Todd Woodbridge. “He’s infatuated with tennis. Andy will have a look at all the information and he’ll present all of the statistics to place into the techniques of each match.
“Him becoming a member of up with Novak isn’t just fascinating, however a smart move from Novak, as a result of who else can coach Novak? He has executed every part greater than every other individual. You place Andy in there, who has received Wimbledon, US Open, Olympics and Davis Cup… he understands the stretch, the strain and what Novak wants now as a result of he has simply been by way of it.”
Intersecting lives: Born every week aside in Could 1987, Murray and Djokovic have identified one another since childhood. A good friend who may also help him decide the suitable piece to finish a fancy jigsaw could also be simply what Djokovic wants. | Photograph credit score: Getty Photos
However such seemingly easy fixes may fail; Djokovic’s personal affiliation with Agassi is a major instance. After he received the 2016 French Open and have become the primary man since Rod Laver to carry all 4 Majors without delay, Djokovic skilled a extreme lack of motivation. Agassi couldn’t bail him out regardless of having overcome the sensation of vacancy in his personal profession after he reached the head of the world rankings.
“In any coach-student relationship you want belief and belief can take time,” mentioned Agassi of Djokovic’s resolution to decide on Murray. “It’s not about what I [as a coach] know that modifications your profession. Info doesn’t result in transformation. You could encounter the suitable info at work and then you definitely may rework. With a view to encounter it, you must have full buy-in. I’m positive there’s going to be lots of belief instantly. We’ll see how the outcomes go.”
Wished: a reassuring presence
Additionally it is price remembering that Djokovic, arguably, has probably the most technically sound recreation within the historical past of males’s tennis. So he won’t require a father determine who radically reshapes his court-craft however a good friend who can put an off-the-cuff arm across the shoulder and assist decide the suitable piece to complete a fancy jigsaw. Extra a reassuring presence like how Stefan Edberg was to Federer in 2014 when he nudged the Swiss nice to embrace a bigger racquet head (switching from 90 sq. inches to 97) to nice success.
“Andy received’t have any secrets and techniques, however there are lots of small particulars that he’ll know that possibly Novak doesn’t take into consideration,” Swedish nice Mats Wilander advised Eurosport. “We at all times discuss peaking, and Murray is aware of how you can peak. For those who win the Olympic Video games twice, Wimbledon twice and you’re from Nice Britain, you perceive how you can be at your finest on the most important instances.
“Murray and Djokovic additionally had related behaviour in the direction of their teaching packing containers. It regarded prefer it was somewhat little bit of complaining or it may have simply been about explaining how they had been feeling. It will likely be fascinating to see how Murray will react when Djokovic throws his arms up and says ‘what am I alleged to be doing now?’ It’s going to be one of the entertaining and fascinating relationships.”
Printed – January 10, 2025 11:06 pm IST