ATP: Pepe Imaz demands more respect for Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic is preparing his comeback in early 2018. His spiritual advisor Pepe Imaz believes that the Serbian should be a role model for other players.

Radek Stepanek, as much seems to be certain at the moment, will be the man at the side of Novak Djokovic, who will set the sporting pace in the convalescent Serbian team at the start of the 2018 season. Andre Agassi could also get involved, and the cooperation with the Serbian, which began in Paris, was abruptly interrupted.

On the other hand, Pepe Imaz’s role, if he has one, still seems rather unclear. Djokovic hasn’t played a match since his retirement against Tomas Berdych in Wimbledon, but a few weeks before Imaz had been part of the Entourage in Paris.

It was there that Novak Djokovic had fulfilled his last big career dream a year earlier, winning the title in Roland Garros. Before his semi-final match against Dominic Thiem, he had spent hours talking to the then world number one, Imaz recently told El Pais.

“After four years of working together, Novak told me that he was much closer to achieving his goals and that this was fantastic,”said Imaz. However, Djokovic had been quite calm. And not a bit nervous. Thiem was extremely focused on the court – Thiem did not stand a chance in his first major semi-final.

The injury to the elbow, which forced Djokovic in Wimbledon to give up, Imaz sees rather as a sign. Imaz had already emphasized in the summer that the break would help his protégé to become fresher. Pepe Imaz has nothing to do with criticism of Novak Djokovic. On the contrary.

“Instead of looking up to him because he sets an example, Djokovic is criticized for moving on the path of love. But these critics have been waiting for him to get out of shape, and now they’re criticizing him for what he’s doing.”