Djokovic parts ways with Vajda and entire fitness team

[Denis]

http://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/39819049

If you thought things couldn't get any worse.

 

[britbox]

Wow. Big move.... especially the Vajda part of it.

Any idea on who he intends bringing in?

 

[Denis]

Nobody for now....

Who would be a good fit?

 

[mrzz]

It will surely be a rocky road but I can bet Djokovic will be #1 again at some point.

 

[britbox]

Nobody for now....

Who would be a good fit?

Don't know, D, but firing your entire fitness team without a replacement in mind, seems like a very strange decision... based on emotion.

 

[DarthFed]

There has to be some other things going on that the public is not aware of. Regardless of what those things are it's clear Novak is now in what poker players like to call "full tilt"

 

[Carol]

First Becker and now Novak announces the split with Marian Vajda and all his team. My question is what this guy is looking for, the fountain of youth? trying to recovery his lost incredible energy and confidence? who knows :huh:

 

[Carol]

What Novak is looking for? the fountain of youth? the recovery of his lost incredible energy and confidence or something else lost?

 

[Kieran]

RE: Mutua Madrid Open 2017 Clay Masters

First Becker and now Novak announces the split with Marian Vajda and all his team. My question is what this guy is looking for, the fountain of youth? trying to recovery his lost incredible energy and confidence? who knows :huh:

Novak has reached a point now where motivation is a huge issue - it's kinda been like that since the FO last year, and that's quite understandable. He could have retired straight after the French last year and his reputation would be unimpeachable. But he's kept going, and he's finding that whatever it is, it isn't working. He's taken a brave decision, because we're full swing in the clay and he's hurtling then towards grass. It's a crucial moment in the season. I don't think it's a wrong decision - if he feels it ain't working, then it ain't working - but it'll be interesting to see who sits in the players box for Nole in Paris...

 

[bajana]

Djokovic fires entire team - like Diogenes, looking for a new spark

Novak says he believes this “shock therapy” will help him achieve better results.

05. 05. 2017. · Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic mutually agreed with his coach Marian Vajda, fitness coach Gebhard Phil Gritsch, and physiotherapist Miljan Amanovic to end their successful and long term partnership after Masters tournament in Monte Carlo.

Novak and the team members decided to part ways after a detailed analysis of the game, achieved results in the previous period, and also after discussing private plans of each team member. Despite the fantastic cooperation so far, Djokovic felt he needed to make a change, and to introduce new energy in order to raise his level of play.

“I am forever grateful to Marian, GG and Miljan for decade of friendship, professionalism and commitment to my career goals. Without their support I couldn’t have achieved these professional heights. I know they completely dedicated themselves and their lives to help me achieve my dreams and they were always my driving force and wind in my back. It was not an easy decision, but we all felt that we need a change. I am very grateful and proud of our relationship and unbreakable bond that we built through years of mutual love, respect and understanding. They are my family and that will never change”, said Djokovic.

Novak’s longtime coach Marian Vajda thanked Djokovic on behalf of the whole team for the years they spent together and for the wonderful cooperation.

“Time spent with Novak feels like a whole lifetime. We were part of many of his incredible achievements, we were living and breathing for his dreams. I gave everything I could as a coach and I am very proud of our results. We arrived to the point where we all realized we need new energy in the team. Novak can do so much more and I am sure he will. I am convinced that he will remain at the top of the tennis for many years and that he will bring a lot of joy to all the tennis fans around the world with his victories. Of course, we will continue consulting each other, seeing each other and hanging out together because after all, we are a family”, explained Vajda.

Novak has added that he believes this “shock therapy” will help him achieve better results.

“I want to continue raising the level of my game and stamina and this is a continuous process. I enjoy this journey, it feels like I am starting something new again and I love this challenge. I am a hunter and my biggest goal is to find the winning spark on the court again”, said Novak.

Novak’s fitness coach Gebhard Gritsch shared his appreciation for the opportunity to work with such an athlete.

“It was a great privilege to have worked with Novak for exactly eight years to the day. It is the dream of every coach to be able to work with an athlete as gifted, professional and committed as Novak. We kept pushing the limits and found new ways to improve. I have no doubt that he will be back on top of the game again. He is a champion and a warrior and the sky is the limit for him. I am very proud of all the time we spent together as a team and a family on the road. It was time for us all to move on professionally, but privately we will remain friends and family and continue sharing all the joys of life with each other”, said Gritsch.

Miljan Amanovic, Novak’s physio commented the situation in a positive tone.

“Novak is my best friend and my brother. I spent more time with him than with my family in the past 10 years. Nothing will change between us as our lives are interconnected in so many ways. I will forever be here for him and I look forward to seeing him rise to his full potential again. I have no doubt that he will”, said Amanovic.

Novak mentioned that he is thinking of strengthening the team with a new head coach, but he does not want to rush things.

“I feel like this is a new chapter in my life. My career was always on the upward path and this time I’m experiencing how it is when the path takes you in a different direction. I want to find a way to come back to the top stronger and more resilient. I have so much faith in this process and that’s why I will take time to find the right person who I can connect with professionally. I have been on the tour long enough to know how to manage daily routines and I don’t want to rush my decision. I will be on the tour alone for a while with support of my family and management. I will inform the public when I find the right person, but for now I thank you for your support and understanding”, concluded Djokovic.

http://novakdjokovic.com/en/news/media/i-want-to-find-the-winning-spark-on-the-court-again/

 

[britbox]

RE: Mutua Madrid Open 2017 Clay Masters

First Becker and now Novak announces the split with Marian Vajda and all his team. My question is what this guy is looking for, the fountain of youth? trying to recovery his lost incredible energy and confidence? who knows :huh:

The Vajda split is a pretty huge move. He's been with Novak since 2006 and moved to the sidelines (but still stayed in the team) when Becker became Head Coach. Boom Boom gets his marching orders, Vajda becomes head coach again... and then this.

The fact that the whole fitness team and the coach get fired without any replacement lined up to replace them (to my knowledge) sounds like a decision based on emotion rather than logic or planning. Translation: Big row in the Djokovic camp... The King flexes his muscles and guillotines some heads...

 

[Kieran]

RE: Mutua Madrid Open 2017 Clay Masters

First Becker and now Novak announces the split with Marian Vajda and all his team. My question is what this guy is looking for, the fountain of youth? trying to recovery his lost incredible energy and confidence? who knows :huh:

The Vajda split is a pretty huge move. He's been with Novak since 2006 and moved to the sidelines (but still stayed in the team) when Becker became Head Coach. Boom Boom gets his marching orders, Vajda becomes head coach again... and then this.

The fact that the whole fitness team and the coach get fired without any replacement lined up to replace them (to my knowledge) sounds like a decision based on emotion rather than logic or planning. Translation: Big row in the Djokovic camp... The King flexes his muscles and guillotines some heads...

Welcome back, brother, great to see you!

Yeah, ditching the lot of them without any fitness team lined up seems a bit aggressive. And don't forget the whole Bollywood/Russian lapdancers rumours from last year - maybe these help his fitness? :snicker

It seems a bit abrupt, but he's been treading water all year. Maybe he woke up and went Greta Garbo: I vonna be alone?

 

[Kieran]

RE: Mutua Madrid Open 2017 Clay Masters

Actually, there's a thread for this opened now by Bajana, so if people don't mind, I'll shift our replies there?

Too late if you's do mind, btw...

 

[Kieran]

RE: Djokovic fires entire team - like Diogenes, looking for a new spark

This was being discussed in the Madrid thread:

First Becker and now Novak announces the split with Marian Vajda and all his team. My question is what this guy is looking for, the fountain of youth? trying to recovery his lost incredible energy and confidence? who knows :huh:

The Vajda split is a pretty huge move. He's been with Novak since 2006 and moved to the sidelines (but still stayed in the team) when Becker became Head Coach. Boom Boom gets his marching orders, Vajda becomes head coach again... and then this.

The fact that the whole fitness team and the coach get fired without any replacement lined up to replace them (to my knowledge) sounds like a decision based on emotion rather than logic or planning. Translation: Big row in the Djokovic camp... The King flexes his muscles and guillotines some heads...

Welcome back, brother, great to see you!

Yeah, ditching the lot of them without any fitness team lined up seems a bit aggressive. And don't forget the whole Bollywood/Russian lapdancers rumours from last year - maybe these help his fitness? :snicker

It seems a bit abrupt, but he's been treading water all year. Maybe he woke up and went Greta Garbo: I vonna be alone?

Good to move all comments to here. Mods, that'll be 50 cents...

 

[britbox]

Nobody for now....

Who would be a good fit?

On the coaching side, has Boom Boom burnt bridges with Djoker or is that a possibilty?

 

[bajana]

RE: Djokovic fires entire team - like Diogenes, looking for a new spark

This was being discussed in the Madrid thread:

Good to move all comments to here. Mods, that'll be 50 cents...

Sorry.. didn't mean to duplicate. Never occurred to me this news wouldn't be a standalone thread.

 

[Kieran]

RE: Djokovic fires entire team - like Diogenes, looking for a new spark

I don't think you duplicated, but it definitely deserves its own thread, separate to what's gonna happen in Madrid. Novak is definitely looking for a new spark. It's happened a lot of players after the peak, familiarity starts to breed contempt within the team, and old tricks fail fast, so they look for scapegoats, or else just fresh input. In fairness to Novak, he'd be a fool to keep them just out of loyalty. In the natural course of things, tennis players don't stay at the top much longer than his age now, anyway...

 

[Carol]

RE: Djokovic fires entire team - like Diogenes, looking for a new spark

Sorry to bring that subject here but I did because Novak ha said that he is very exciting to play in Madrid again (not two years ego lol) and it seems interesting who is going to be in his box, maybe his spiritual guide Pepe?
Oops, I see that this subject has been moved to a new thread, much better

 

[bajana]

RE: Djokovic fires entire team - like Diogenes, looking for a new spark

Sorry to bring that subject here but I did because Novak ha said that he is very exciting to play in Madrid again (not two years ego lol) and it seems interesting who is going to be in his box, maybe his spiritual guide Pepe?
Oops, I see that this subject has been moved to a new thread, much better

What I find puzzling is that I can find no mention of Pepe Imaz in this - well not quite reshuffle, cos all the movement is through the departure gate. Was Pepe already quietly out of the picture or is he going to officially head up the new entourage?

I don't think in too many years of following tennis I've ever heard of lock, stock and barrel changes, all at the same time, all plumb in mid-clay/hard/grass season.

 

[Moxie]

I was pretty shocked to read that. As BB says, especially Vajda. I heard that Becker, for his part, would have been happy to come back. It would be an odd time to go it alone, no?