Djokovic parts ways with Vajda and entire fitness team

[Carol]

Sorry to say but everything seems to be a little weird.....we'll see what really is going on, what about Pepe, he is out too or not?

 

[Denis]

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?

I cannot think of a single good thing that can come from this. Hope he knows what he is doing and not blaming others for his own undoing.

Hope he finds a good new coach, can't think of anyone tho.

 

[Puppet Master]

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

Lol at the comparison with Diogenes.
His explanation is so asinine, I find it unreadable. Hope Pepe can make things even better.
Uncle Toni's Trojan horse is truly devestating. :devil

 

[MartyB]

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"

I agree there is something more going on here and it's not about tennis...

 

[El Dude]

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

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:

I think he's looking for what all great players who stumble are looking for: How to recapture his top form? Rafa was looking for it in 2014-16, and kept plugging at it until he found something more this year (of course his "comeback" won't be complete until he wins a Slam but certainly he's playing better now than he has in almost three years). Roger has looked for it at various times in his career, really over the last 9 years, since he started slipping in 2008. Now it is Novak.

I can't imagine what it's like to be on top of the world, and then to stumble and fall in a big way. It seems that what is required is, of course, hard work, but also a willingness to adapt, or at least be patient. With Rafa, it seemed like patience as I'm not sure I'm seeing anything new with his game. With Roger, at least in 2013-14, it was adjusting to a larger racket and adjusting his game a bit. What will it take for Novak? I'm not sure, maybe it is simply a matter of rebuilding his confidence. The tricky part about that is confidence comes through winning, and winning requires confidence - the problem being obvious (you can't win without confidence, but you gain confidence through winning). So I think what Novak is looking for, is how to break out of that cycle.

 

[El Dude]

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

I think also that some players just accept a new, lower level of play. Take Hewitt post-2006. Did he actually think he'd ever return to #1, or even the top 5? Maybe for a couple years, but certainly by 2010 or so, he probably realized it would never happen. But he kept playing. Or Mats Wilander after 1988, when he dropped precipitously.

I think all great players go through a period of denial, where they think they can return to the top. It may even be that those that win big titles in their later careers are the players for whom this denial is strong. Roger could have grown frustrated in after 2016 and given up, but instead he probably thought, "I'll give it one more shot," and then he won the Australian Open.

Or look at Rafa - think of how he's struggled these last three years, and kept going. Amazing resilience and determination. Or I think of someone like Goran Ivanisevic, who had a very good but frustrating career and was about on his way out when he came back and won Wimbledon. Or even Stan Wawrinka, who was a chronic under-achiever heading into his late 20s, then managed to win three Slams (and counting).

 

[Denis]

I agree there is something more going on here and it's not about tennis...

Like what?

Seems more that he is desperately trying to turn around recent results.

 

[bajana]

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

If you're concerned about Pepe's continued tenure, there's an online petition at: https://www.change.org/p/novak-djokovic-get-rid-of-pepe-imaz

 

[kskate2]

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

Rafa should add Vajda to his team. Who better knows how to defeat Novak than someone who used to coach him? :idea:

And Novak should hire Edberg or Annacone. Stefan can help his volley & OH. Annacone is a great strategist and good coach overall.

 

[Moxie]

Like what?

Seems more that he is desperately trying to turn around recent results.

He is, but we can't pretend that rumors haven't been swirling. Unlike Murray's current slide, which most people think is 90% physical, Nole's misfortunes seem to be a lot about his head. Everyone is a bit mystified, rightly, and curious. What about Pepe Imaz? There were rumors that Becker said it's "him or me," regarding Imaz. That came from Bild, which is an unreliable tabloid, but now, with the rest of the team sent packing as well, except for, it seems, Imaz, one does wonder. Novak himself has alluded to "personal issues." Losing motivation after winning the French makes sense. That he's still wondering in the wilderness nearly a year later, and drastically changing his team will have people asking questions.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

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

Novak's current problems are rooted in three different things and their combined effect is much larger than the sum of three.

1. Personal problems and alleged affair with Bollywood actress. Wife getting angry, going on vacation by herself, caught live in facebook saying Novak is thankless etc. I think the affair, if it existed at all in the first place, is over. But, then there is always aftershock.

2. Motivational issues after winning RG title that eluded him so long. Moreover, by winning that RG he completed Nole Slam that had eluded Fedal in their entire career.

3. Fitness/Health/Injury/Aging issues. Novak is known for his rubber like body and indulging in yoga practice. Now, in one of his recent matches, he went chasing after a wide ball and tumbled. Normally, he would easily hit that ball on a stretch and recover as though nothing happened.
Let us face it, not withstanding what lot of people say, his basic game is baseline oriented. Not, too different from that of Rafa although there are differences. Novak's baseline game is more aggressive than that of Rafa. Also, Novak is lot better at transitioning from defense to offense in the middle of baseline rally. Anyway, with that kind of a game, an epsilon difference in your physical abilities will lead to humongous difference in results. With he approaching 30, he got to lose half a step at least.

He can conceivably, come back to glory and win a slam or few more slams, but I don't think he can overtake Fed. Where are Billie, Nehemeth etc who might provide some inside scoop from Serbian media.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

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

It is very tempting for me to criticize Novak on his shock therapy. However, I am not going to do so.
The coaching situation and its effect on players is very tricky than they appear on first sight and I have gone wrong with my predictions many times and hence I have wised up not to criticize him.

Here are at least three occasions when what I thought and what happened were totally different things.

1. When Fed went coachless in 2008 or so, I thought it was a bad move and he is being arrogant and he will suffer. In actual reality he did very fine without a coach.

2. When Novak hired Boom Boom Becker, I thought (just like many others) that it was a bad fit and the partnership will collapse within a year, not to mention it won't produce any good results. But, as we all know the pair flourished together (however, Novak's affair is attributed in some corners of the internet to Becker's bad influence on him).

3. When Andy dismissed Danny Valleredu and other long time members of his team (over what appeared to be a fight over his decision to hire Amelie as the head coach), I thought it was a very bad decision by Andy and he will suffer for ditching his longtime helpers. However, no real damage was done and Andy fared fine without his longtime team.

So, we never really know how this will pan out.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

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

Meanwhile, news is out that Jalena is pregnant again and they are expecting a baby girl this time. This is how to combat an affair. Produce a new baby. :laydownlaughing

 

[Puppet Master]

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

Novak's current problems are rooted in three different things and their combined effect is much larger than the sum of three.

1. Personal problems and alleged affair with Bollywood actress. Wife getting angry, going on vacation by herself, caught live in facebook saying Novak is thankless etc. I think the affair, if it existed at all in the first place, is over. But, then there is always aftershock.

2. Motivational issues after winning RG title that eluded him so long. Moreover, by winning that RG he completed Nole Slam that had eluded Fedal in their entire career.

3. Fitness/Health/Injury/Aging issues. Novak is known for his rubber like body and indulging in yoga practice. Now, in one of his recent matches, he went chasing after a wide ball and tumbled. Normally, he would easily hit that ball on a stretch and recover as though nothing happened.
Let us face it, not withstanding what lot of people say, his basic game is baseline oriented. Not, too different from that of Rafa although there are differences. Novak's baseline game is more aggressive than that of Rafa. Also, Novak is lot better at transitioning from defense to offense in the middle of baseline rally. Anyway, with that kind of a game, an epsilon difference in your physical abilities will lead to humongous difference in results. With he approaching 30, he got to lose half a step at least.

He can conceivably, come back to glory and win a slam or few more slams, but I don't think he can overtake Fed. Where are Billie, Nehemeth etc who might provide some inside scoop from Serbian media.

Let me remind you that I am from Serbia myself, but there is no real "inside scoop". Most are pretty much clueless about what's happening. People who are into tennis mostly believe it's decline, as do I.
There was speculation that it was the vegan diet, then injuries, Pepe's "coaching" but I find all of these ridiculous.
Fed and Nadal having similar struggles at exactly 29 years of age, and people turn a blind eye to it all. They want to believe that the cult has taken its toll on Djokovic.

 

[isabelle]

Edberg is free.....why not ??

 

[Carol]

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

Novak's current problems are rooted in three different things and their combined effect is much larger than the sum of three.

1. Personal problems and alleged affair with Bollywood actress. Wife getting angry, going on vacation by herself, caught live in facebook saying Novak is thankless etc. I think the affair, if it existed at all in the first place, is over. But, then there is always aftershock.

2. Motivational issues after winning RG title that eluded him so long. Moreover, by winning that RG he completed Nole Slam that had eluded Fedal in their entire career.

3. Fitness/Health/Injury/Aging issues. Novak is known for his rubber like body and indulging in yoga practice. Now, in one of his recent matches, he went chasing after a wide ball and tumbled. Normally, he would easily hit that ball on a stretch and recover as though nothing happened.
Let us face it, not withstanding what lot of people say, his basic game is baseline oriented. Not, too different from that of Rafa although there are differences. Novak's baseline game is more aggressive than that of Rafa. Also, Novak is lot better at transitioning from defense to offense in the middle of baseline rally. Anyway, with that kind of a game, an epsilon difference in your physical abilities will lead to humongous difference in results. With he approaching 30, he got to lose half a step at least.

He can conceivably, come back to glory and win a slam or few more slams, but I don't think he can overtake Fed. Where are Billie, Nehemeth etc who might provide some inside scoop from Serbian media.

Let me remind you that I am from Serbia myself, but there is no real "inside scoop". Most are pretty much clueless about what's happening. People who are into tennis mostly believe it's decline, as do I.
There was speculation that it was the vegan diet, then injuries, Pepe's "coaching" but I find all of these ridiculous.
Fed and Nadal having similar struggles at exactly 29 years of age, and people turn a blind eye to it all. They want to believe that the cult has taken its toll on Djokovic.

Agreed, when Rafa started to play bad then the same people said that he was on decline because his age, his style of play, his injuries and blah blah blah. Now the same ones are saying that the problem of Novak is his head, lack of motivation, because he won RG, his wife, the Bollywood actress and blah blah blah.
Maybe I have to remind them that Federer after to win RG 2009 for the first and only time he won Wimbledon and Rafa after to win his fifth RG 2010 he won Wimbledon and the USO. Novak is almost 30 and after such a hard work is normal that his mind and body are suffering the effort and he is trying to find the solution though it seems to go in the wrong way in that labyrinth that he is going through. Maybe he will find the exit or maybe not, it will depend of himself

 

[DarthFed]

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

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...

I think he understandably had a hangover after winning RG last year. That's a little different from a motivation issue, it's more like he was due for a letdown and that happened at Wimbledon last year where he lost early to Sam Querrey. What's not understandable is that a year later he is still struggling to play even somewhat well. If motivation is an issue that's shocking to me. He has been chasing Fed and Rafa his whole career and career-wise he was, and maybe still is, within striking distance. He shouldn't have any motivation issues, same with Rafa. It'd be a little more understandable for Roger since he has had the greatest career but even then he only needs to look behind him a few yards and see Nads suddenly going strong.

 

[El Dude]

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

Agreed, when Rafa started to play bad then the same people said that he was on decline because his age, his style of play, his injuries and blah blah blah. Now the same ones are saying that the problem of Novak is his head, lack of motivation, because he won RG, his wife, the Bollywood actress and blah blah blah.
Maybe I have to remind them that Federer after to win RG 2009 for the first and only time he won Wimbledon and Rafa after to win his fifth RG 2010 he won Wimbledon and the USO. Novak is almost 30 and after such a hard work is normal that his mind and body are suffering the effort and he is trying to find the solution though it seems to go in the wrong way in that labyrinth that he is going through. Maybe he will find the exit or maybe not, it will depend of himself

Carol, I would like to point out that this sort of post is exactly why you end up getting into tussles with various people: you turn everything into some variation of "Rafa victimization" - how people hold a double standard with Rafa, unduly pick on him, etc. This thread has nothing to do with Rafa, but somehow you managed to turn into that (I am not saying you shouldn't mention Rafa, just that it seems silly to use this as an opportunity to snipe at whoever these "same people" are that you feel so victimize Rafa).

 

[El Dude]

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

I think GSM said it well, that it is a combination of factors. Hard to say which, if any, factor is primary. But I remember posting a thread a couple years ago which was something like an inquiry into how Novak and Rafa would decline when they started to decline, and I vaguely remember someone saying that once both lost a hair of movement, it would have a ripple effect and lead to substantial decline.

This doesn't mean Novak can't bounce back and win more Slams - I think he can, and probably will. But that he needs to adjust for his changing skill set.

 

[britbox]

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<a class="embedly-card" href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-tennis-serbia-djokovic-armenulic-idUKKBN181238">Fallen Djokovic should ask Becker to return, says Armenulic</a>
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