Former Wimbledon champion and Coach of Novak Djokovic Groan Ivanisevic has slammed the media over their treatment of the world No.1 in recent months.
The Croat tennis great has suggested that the hostile treatment of Djokovic by some media outlets is due to the fact he is from Serbia because ‘people from the Balkans are always looked at differently.’ In recent months the tennis star has been under the spotlight for various reasons. Last summer he was heavily criticised over his involvement in the Adria Tour which was blasted over their approach to the COVID-19 pandemic before the event was cancelled due to an outbreak of the virus. Although the event didn’t break any rules as such. Other controversies include Djokovic’s involvement in the Professional Tennis Players Association and his unfortunate disqualification from the US Open for inadvertently hitting a lines judge.
Ivanisevic, who won 22 titles on the ATP Tour during an 11-year period as a player, believes Djokovic has been singled out more than any other player for his actions within the sport. The 49-year-old has been working with the 18-time Grand Slam winner since the summer of 2019.
“Everything started with the Adria Tour; they were after him even before that, but in the last year it seemed to me as if I am watching that film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” he joked during an interview with Tennis Majors.
“Why is he being treated that way? Probably because of his background, people from Balkans are always looked at differently; also, Novak is not afraid to speak his mind and to fight for causes he believes in.’
“What happened at the US Open, it was as if everyone was glad because that kind of shit happened to him. In Australia he stood up for his fellow players and again – let’s kick Djokovic because he is the only one to speak up, everyone else stays silent. Throughout my career I have witnessed players doing all sorts of things, but nobody got the kind of treatment Novak does.”
The unwelcome media attention has failed to derail Djokovic from achieving successes on the Tour. His most recent achievement occurred at the Australian Open where he defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final to win the title. Although he was also under fire at the same time as playing. Prior to the start of the tournament he raised eyebrows by sending a letter to the head of Tennis Australia suggesting improvements to the quarantine system. Then during the major some questioned the extent of his abdominal injury.
“The most perfidious, actually the saddest thing were accusations that he was faking an injury,” said Ivanisevic.
“Why on earth would he do that? Why would the best player in the world make up an injury, and he was up two sets to love at that point?! When some other top player is injured, it is considered a heroic act for them to even step on the court. But when it is Novak, he is faking it.”
What’s next?
Playing with an injury comes with its consequences with Djokovic admitting that the tear in his abdominal region worsened during his time playing in Melbourne Park. It is for this reason why it is unclear as to when he will return to the Tour. The next high-profile event on the calendar is the Miami Open which is the first Masters 1000 event of the season. On Monday Roger Federer pulled out of the event to focus on training. Meanwhile, the chances of Djokovic playing is 50/50.
“It depends on the injury as well, but there is no need to rush it,” his coach explains. “The only tournament that he would play is maybe Miami. I think his next MRI is in two weeks, so we will see. There is no need to take any risks, I would rather see him one hundred per cent ready for the clay season in order to try to go after the Roland-Garros title once more.”
The desire to go after the Roland Garros title is part of Djokovic’s goal of trying to equal the all-time record for most major titles won by a male player. An accolade that is currently jointly held by Federer and Rafael Nadal who have 20 each. It is that desire to break the milestone which is leading to a change of approach of the Tour. In order to focus on the Grand Slams Ivanisevic says there is a possibility he may ‘play two or three’ less tournaments each year.
Then there is also the challenge of trying to keep Djokovic, who will turn 34 in May, in top shape as he gets older. According to the ATP he is the 15th oldest player in the top 100 at present.
“The key word for me is desire and Novak’s desire is huge. He might take an extra day of rest here and there. As you get older, you try to have shorter practices, but with higher intensity; that is what we pictured and what we accomplished in Australia,” Ivanisevic outlined.
“It turned out quite well since he was able to stay on the court for however long it takes. Also, there are a lot of things to factor in as well, things you need to adapt to such as your mood and will to practise, but the good thing about tennis is that you can get creative with the drills.”
This week marked a new milestone in the career of the tennis giant who has matched Federer’s record for most time spent in the No.1 position at 310 weeks. The achievement has added yet another dynamic to the Greatest Of All Time debate on the Tour with each member of the Big Three having their own credentials for the honour.
“The GOAT debate comes down to taste and preferences, but if you have the numbers on your side, it is hard to deny some things… For me, Novak is the best and most complete player ever, for someone else it is Nadal or Federer. It will be an interesting topic to discuss when their careers are over,” Ivanisevic concluded.
Djokovic has won 82 ATP titles so far in his career.