Of course Novak Djokovic is a rascal. That’s why he grinned when someone asked if a microphone could be installed in the corner of Rod Laver Arena, where he and his new coach Andy Murray chat during games. “Yes, that would be very interesting for the fans because there would be a lot of material,” he said. Then he thought for a moment. “The problem with this, however, is that not only fans, but also someone from the opponent’s team would listen in and pass on the information in real time,” he said, now once again a full elder statesman of tennis, who won his 430th Grand Slam on Wednesday. The game was completed and Roger Federer was left behind. “When it comes to tactics, a little privacy should be guaranteed.”
This outlines this partnership between the two tennis legends, who fought a total of 36 duels from 2006 to 2022 – unforgettable, for example, Djokovic’s five-set triumph in the semi-finals of the Australian Open 2012 or Murray’s five-set revenge eight months later in the US Open final: Of course It’s entertaining, of course you want to listen – for example if there were a possible quarter-final against Carlos Alcaraz. Sport is entertainment after all.
:An alliance that amazes the tennis scene
Nothing will come of his golf career for the time being: The two-time Wimbledon winner Andy Murray is Novak Djokovic’s new coach. A collaboration that makes sense in many ways.
But sport remains sport. And Djokovic is doing everything he can at this Australian Open to finally win the longed-for 25th Grand Slam title and thus secure the record across genders; Australia’s Margaret Court also has 24 trophies. And it’s even more than that, as Murray says: “If he wins slams at the age of 38 or 39 and wins big matches against Alcaraz and Sinner, he has a good chance of going down in history as the best athlete across all disciplines. “The goal of this collaboration is this: that Djokovic is mentioned in the same breath as Muhammad Ali, Jim Thorpe or Michael Phelps.
That requires titles. But Djokovic noticed last year, the first since 2017 in which he did not win a Grand Slam tournament, that this would not be easy. Certainly, the great rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have left, and others have joined on an equal footing. Djokovic may have noticed while walking around the facility these days that his portrait is no longer the most frequently shown one. Just as often depicted on posters, on stadium walls, in fan and souvenir shops: defending champion Jannik Sinner (Italy), Carlos Alcaraz (Spain), Taylor Fritz (USA), Australian hope Alex de Minaur. Djokovic, who has triumphed here ten times, is not the only one in the era after Federer and Nadal, but one of a few. It was not he who was allowed to play in the night session in the Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday, but Alexander Zverev, number two in the world, who won 6:1, 6:4, 6:1 against Spaniard Pedro Martínez. Zverev didn’t even lose serve in this match under a closed roof and will now face the British Jacob Fearnley in round three. Djokovic’s game against the Portuguese Jaime Faria, which he won 6:1, 6:7 (4), 6:3, 6:2, was scheduled for the day.
Djokovic has a keen sense of these respect matters. At Wimbledon he listened carefully to see whether the fans really shouted “Ruuune” or “Buuuh” during the game against Holger Rune. And he undoubtedly remembers the 2021 US Open final, when New Yorkers cheered him like never before in the face of a looming defeat against Daniil Medvedev. He could have secured the real Grand Slam that evening: winning all four major trophies in Melbourne, Paris, Wimbledon and New York within a year, but he felt on the court as he cried with emotion: What are titles and triumphs against such a tsunami of affection? Those with whom he would like to be mentioned in the same breath in the future will not only be respected for their successes, but loved for the way they have inspired people.
It could also be stated that Djokovic has been the most active, most entertaining tennis professional in the past few days. A few key points: sold-out charity event on Friday including Jux-Mixed against Murray; clearest statements on how to deal with the Sinner doping case (“Not a good image for sport”); Fun appearance in Zverev’s press conference (“Do you think the answer to how to win a Grand Slam lies in space?”); Joking about Murray’s skiing skills. That’s why they love him in Melbourne, the Australians would only grant a fellow countryman a triumph like him.
“If he complains, he should do it in our direction,” says Murray
Leading him there is now Murray’s job, who, as Djokovic says, has a “unique perspective” on him – on and off the court. The 37-year-old Scot, three-time Grand Slam winner, who only ended his own career last summer, knows that Djokovic likes to play the role, but at the same time respects the sport like no other. “Fooling around doesn’t lead to high performance,” says Murray.
The performance against Jaime Faria provided illustrative material. As in the first match, Djokovic had some shaky moments around the middle of the second set. Murray then sat up in his chair in the corner, not nervously, more attentively, as a sign that he was now needed. It’s also a signal to the opponent: one of the best athletes in history is getting a few tips from one of the best tennis players in history. Who wouldn’t get a little more nervous?
At times, Djokovic grumbled towards Murray – which his new coach not only accepted but encouraged: “The worst thing is when you are broken in these moments. If he complains in order to then play his best tennis, then he should be happy to do so in our direction.” Can there be anything more entertaining than Novak Djokovic shouting at Sir Andy Murray at crucial moments in a tournament – and then getting tactical or psychological tips gets? If only there was a microphone in the corner of the Rod Laver Arena!
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