Novak Djokovic experienced one of his best career phases while working with Boris Becker from 2013 to 2016.
During this period, Djokovic won six Grand Slam titles and 14 Masters 1000 events. Their separation surprised many, considering the success they had together.
On the Tennis Channel’s Big T Podcast, Andrea Petkovic talked about changes in tennis coaching and what made Becker’s partnership with Djokovic special.
“Every player today, whether ranked one, 15, or 35, has at least five people with them. That wasn’t the case when I played,” Petkovic noted. “I retired just three years ago, not 20 years ago.”
“Even top players like Andy Roddick and Roger Federer had a maximum of three people in their camp,” she added.
“Now, players travel with a group of around 25 people, including family members, trainers, and nutritionists. This is possible because prize money has increased significantly,” she said.
“However, it complicates the player-coach relationship, which is supposed to be very close,” Petkovic remarked.
This discussion followed comments by Mark Petchey regarding Juan Carlos Ferrero’s feelings after parting ways with Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic withdraws from Australian Open warm-up, raising fitness concerns
The 2026 Australian Open could be Djokovic’s best chance at winning another major, especially with players like Sinner and Alcaraz currently dominating the other three slams.
This provides an opportunity to catch them off-guard early in the season as they may still be adjusting after the break.
Despite facing some challenges recently, Djokovic has consistently shown success in Melbourne, holding the record for the most titles there.
Last year, he reached the semi-finals but had to withdraw during his match against Alexander Zverev.
His withdrawal from Adelaide before this year’s tournament raises new concerns about his ability to endure another two-week competition.
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