Djokovic's coach wants Nadal to win more Grand Slams

France coach Goran Ivanisevic hopes Rafael Nadal will return and win another Grand Slam, but he still trails Novak Djokovic in terms of major titles.

"I'm very sorry that Nadal won't be at Roland Garros," coach Ivanisevic said after Djokovic won the title on June 11. "Before I became a member of Djokovic's team, I said that he and Nadal would surpass the 22-Grand Slam milestone. I hope Nadal will come back and win another title, and Djokovic will become the only one to win all four Grand Slams in one year."

Djokovic (right) went to the stands to celebrate the Roland Garros championship with coach Ivanisevic. Photo: Reuters — Djokovic (right) went to the stands to celebrate the Roland Garros championship with coach Ivanisevic. Photo: *Reuters*

By defeating Casper Ruud 7-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the Roland Garros final on June 11, Djokovic rose to a record of 23 Grand Slams. This record is considered the most prestigious in tennis. If he wins Wimbledon and the US Open 2023, the Serbian tennis player will become the first person to win four Grand Slams in the same year, since Rod Laver in 1969. Nole had this opportunity in 2021, but lost to Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final.

Djokovic has had a poor start to the clay season, with five wins and three losses. But that hasn't bothered his team. "He has a software in his head that can always be switched when the Grand Slams come," coach Ivanisevic said, explaining why Djokovic played better at Roland Garros than in the warm-up tournaments. "The day we arrived in Paris, he was more motivated, more hungry. He played better and better. Especially against Alcaraz, he played unbelievable tennis. This championship is the result of calculations from the first days of the clay season in Monte Carlo."

On the podium at Roland Garros, Djokovic spoke of how his team had put up with him during the two weeks in Paris. Ivanisevic has become accustomed to being Nole's outlet for stress before and during Grand Slams. He joked that Djokovic tortured his team, chaining them up in handcuffs for three days. "He's not an easy guy, especially when something doesn't go his way," Djokovic's strategist said. "But we're here to back him up and get beaten up. We have a responsibility to make him better, to play better. It's not easy, but we're fine."

Coach Ivanisevic (far right) in a photo of Djokovic and his family and team celebrating their Roland Garros victory. Photo: AP

In Djokovic's ambition to win all four Grand Slams this season, coach Ivanisevic considers Carlos Alcaraz the biggest threat. The Croatian strategist commented: "He is a danger on every court. But, there is always a but, he is still young. At Roland Garros, many people said that Alcaraz was the favorite against Nole - who has reached the Grand Slam final 33 times before. I love Alcaraz, he is great. But this is a Grand Slam, where courage is required. Everyone saw what happened in the third set with him. Novak knew that in advance and waited."

Ivanisevic considered the match against Alcaraz in the semi-finals to be Djokovic's toughest match in his journey to Roland Garros 2023. The 20-year-old young talent caused a lot of trouble for Djokovic in the first two sets. After each winning a set, Alcaraz cramped up at the beginning of the third set due to too much tension. Nole then easily won the next two sets to reach the final, then won the championship. Describing the match, Ivanisevic was not used to repeating the famous quote of former tennis player Andy Roddick: "First Djokovic takes your legs, then he will take your soul."

Ivanisevic won Wimbledon in 2001. He joined Djokovic's coaching team in 2019 and won eight more Grand Slams with his student. The 51-year-old strategist became Djokovic's main coach from the end of 2021, when Marian Vajda left the position.

Nhan Dat

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