Novak Djokovic shares what he goals to attain with coach Andy Murray: ‘I need to play my finest tennis’

Andy Murray will probably be again as Novak Djokovic’s coach because the 24-time Grand Slam winner kicks off his Madrid Open marketing campaign Saturday in opposition to Matteo Arnaldi. Murray had been a part of Djokovic’s teaching crew since November final yr however the former tennis star was not there when the Serbian misplaced to Alejandro Tabilo at Monte-Carlo earlier this month.

With Murray as coach, Djokovic has reached the Australian Open semi-final and completed runner-up in Miami but in addition suffered a three-match shedding streak earlier this yr.

Djokovic on why teaching him is hard

The 37-year-old Djokovic has revealed why it’s “not straightforward” for Murray to educate him as he struggles with a scarcity of motivation generally. “I feel the precedence for us is to all the time attempt to strategy the coaching session with the correct of mentality. It’s not all the time straightforward,” Djokovic advised Sky Sports activities.

“Some days I really feel excited and actually motivated, some days much less. So then he, as a coach, additionally has to handle that which isn’t all the time straightforward.”

Nonetheless, in addition to managing Djokovic’s lack of motivation, Murray supplies a whole lot of technical assist.

“After which it’s clearly about particular parts within the recreation, sure photographs which are perhaps occurring in a sure sample for days or even weeks already.

“Or there may be additionally one thing that type of appeared in yesterday’s apply, or it comes up within the second and we deal with it.

“So it’s actually a mixture of issues, I might say. And as we’re coming nearer and nearer to the primary match, clearly we’re engaged on extra of the specifics to fine-tune the sport, to be able to play factors, match. Not simply from the sport standpoint but in addition mentally and emotionally.”

Djokovic eyes French Open, Wimbledon with Murray

Djokovic added that he goals to peak on the French Open and Wimbledon with the partnership with Murray.

“The precedence is clearly making an attempt to take the extent of tennis that’s at the moment perhaps not the place we would like it to be to the upper stage in order that I can peak on the French Open,” Djokovic mentioned.

“That’s actually the place I need to play my finest tennis, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

“However, after all, we’re in Madrid, we got here in early, we’re placing in a whole lot of hours within the court docket and within the fitness center making an attempt to good the physique and the sport, and mainly each side of my recreation to be a couple of per cent higher than it was within the earlier weeks.

“If I can attain that desired stage on this match, that might be superb. I don’t have actually excessive expectations and I actually hope that I can get by way of the primary hurdle after which we’ll take it from there.”

Djokovic is again in Madrid for less than the second time in six years. In his earlier look in 2022, he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz within the semi-final.