Novak Djokovic is preparing for the coming season in Monte Carlo. His part-time coach Andre Agassi is delighted with the latest team member Radek Stepanek.
The sample is still too small to judge Andre Agassi’s coaching skills: the legendary American has shown his side of Novak Djokovic for the first time this past season in Roland Garros and the Serbian lost to Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals. After that there was only the appearance in Wimbledon, where Djokovic had to give up in his match against Tomas Berdych due to injury.
Since then, the twelve-time Major Champion has distinguished himself as a family man, becoming father for the second time. The return of Djokovic is planned for the ATP World Tour 250 tournament in Doha, where he will compete as the defending champion: barely a year ago, Djokovic and Andy Murray had delivered a grand final, all the signs seem to indicate that these two men would also be masters of world tennis in 2017. Things have turned out differently – one of the reasons why Novak Djokovic has tried to get the services of Andre Agassi.
Radek Stepanek, the Czech, who announced his resignation only a few weeks ago, has meanwhile joined the team. Stepanek’s curriculum vitae is defined primarily by his successes in the Davis Cup, winning twice for his home country the decisive fifth individual in the final of the most important team competition. However, Stepanek was also a team mate of the very best in the world, appreciated by teammates like Tomas Berdych.
Andre Agassi brings along completely different merits, he has won at least one title in all four majors. Partly with a man as coach who wasn’t blessed with the greatest playful talent: Brad Gilbert. But he has often found ways to annoy even superior opponents. And passed this on to his protégé.
“In my opinion and experience, the best coaches in the world are the ones who have played beyond their means as players,” Agassi said from Monte Carlo, where Team Djokovic is preparing for the coming season.”People who grow beyond their natural level have to adapt, improvise and overcome obstacles.
Agassi sees an overachiever in his new colleague Radek Stepanek:”They always find ways to optimize their strengths – and at the same time keep their weaknesses to a minimum. If you then add a strong work ethic and successful years – and a pleasant personality – then that’s exactly what Radek has to offer:” This is certainly one of the reasons why Djokovic chose Stepanek as the coach who will accompany him to most of the tournaments in the year.
Djokovic has already proved that a division of labour between two coaches can work successfully with the duo Boris Becker and his long-time coach Marian Vajda.