Novak Djokovic and Marian Vajda shared 15 years of partnership that led the Serbian to become what he is today. In a recent interview, the former Slovakian tennis player gave his opinion about the calendar planning that the Serbian has adopted in these tennis times in which Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz seem destined to dominate.
Approximately two years ago Marian Vajda he stopped being a coach Novak Djokovic and the Slovakian has dedicated himself completely to training very young tennis players who are looking for their place in this world. Vajda remained with the world number 1 for about 15 years until in 2022 he decided that he needed to be closer to his family and look for a less exhausting project. Thus, the Slovak joined Patrick Mouratoglou’s Academy, where he carries out his work without any regrets about having left the Serbian team. In an interview for Outdoor tennisVajda chatted about his former pupil and how he faces the new stage of his career.
For the coach, so many years at the foot of the canyon alongside the world number 1 ended up impacting his motivation, as Vajda thought that their time together was coming to an end and he needed to settle down. And although he doesn’t miss that, he confesses that he still supports him: “The 15 years with Djokovic were very intense, I spent a lot of energy. When I separated from him I tried to continue with Alex Molcan for a year, but I realized that something was missing. I was less motivated, I wanted to be closer to my family and I preferred to help young people enter the world of tennis in Slovakia. So today I can say that I don’t miss him, but I always enjoy following Novak. “I keep up to date with all the news about him and I still see him, but obviously I’m not as involved as I used to be.”
What is the most difficult thing about coaching a player like Nole? “We were always in continuous movement, from one continent to another. I always had to say goodbye to my family without knowing how long I would be gone and the pressure in tournaments was very strong, even for me. In tennis, the coach is constantly under scrutiny. The pressure of this sport is exhausting even for the coach. In football, when a team loses, it is never the fault of a single individual, you don’t go and look at how the coach worked each time to prepare for that game. While when a tennis player loses, the coach is immediately questioned.”said.
On the other hand, Vajda also had time to comment on current events. A current situation that is dominated by Jannik Sinner and in which together Carlos Alcaraz and Novak confirm the most effective trident. Who thinks he is the strongest player we can find today?: “I would say Jannik Sinner. In the last year he has played some really impressive tennis and continues to improve, keeping the level high. I think he is the clear favorite to become number 1 in the world. I also find Alcaraz to be very strong, but Sinner right now is definitely the one most likely to come out on top.”
About the new competition method that Djokovic has adapted
“I think Novak is trying to adapt and find the right balance. He doesn’t imagine playing all the tournaments like before. The ATP calendar is too intense and he has to make decisions. The biggest motivation for him is the Slams and the Olympic Games, so he has to find time to prepare and train well. He can’t also focus on the other tournaments and I think the real question is whether this new method will make him win, since if you play fewer tournaments you may end up less trained than those who have played more than you.
However, Novak knows how to do it, he is very intelligent and none of the new top players have his experience, simply because of his age. Also last year he missed several tournaments such as Indian Wells and Miami, but then won Roland Garros, reached the final of Wimbledon and won the US Open. So I don’t think he’s done winning and this year he’s going to prove it once again.“said Vadja, confident in the weapons of his former pupil.
2024-04-15 19:14:51
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