MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic admits he has taken a gamble by making changes to his coaching team but is hoping for great things from his partnership with former grand slam champion Boris Becker.
The Serbian will be without the support of Marian Vijda, his coach for the last eight years, when he begins his bid for a fifth Australian Open title against Lukas Lacko on Monday.
Djokovic was quick to emphasise, though, that bringing Becker on board had been instigated by Vijda, who wanted to spend more time with his family after 35 years travelling around the world.
“Whenever you make a change in life, it’s a potential risk, right? How is it going to affect you?,” Djokovic told reporters at Melbourne Park.
“But I don’t want to think from that perspective. I’m really excited about this cooperation. I’m excited about this partnership that I have with Boris that also has been approved and supported by Marian, who is still in the team.
“He’s still going to travel with me on certain tournaments that Boris is not going to be there. We’re going to spend a lot of time on preparation.
“They have a great communication. All I see is positive results, and hope for that obviously.”
Djokovic admitted that tennis had changed radically since Becker won six grand slam titles in the 1980s and 1990s but still thought there was plenty he could learn from the 46-year-old German from the ‘mental point of view’.
“Now the game is based on the baseline, longer rallies and so forth,” he said.
“I believe with his great volleys, that aggressive kind of mindset also, from that point of view he can help me.”
Djokovic said the success Wimbledon champion Andy Murray has enjoyed since adding Ivan Lendl to his team had not inspired the decision to work with Becker.
With Roger Federer having brought Stefan Edberg into his camp, Japan’s Kei Nishikori working with Michael Chang and Goran Ivanisevic guiding Marin Cilic, employing former grand slam champions as coaches has become something of a trend.
“It’s really positive for the sport,” Djokovic added.
“Obviously, they have won so many grand slams between themselves, they’ve all been world number one, they’ve been champions, they know what we all go through in particular moments, especially in the grand slams.
“They can identify themselves through us.” (Reuters)