Novak Djokovic sent stark warning over future by Roger Federer's former coach

05 September 2023 , 22:42

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Novak Djokovic celebrates his victory against Taylor Fritz at the US Open

The former coach of tennis icon Roger Federer believes that Novak Djokovic is "walking on eggshells" and has warned he cannot make "major mistakes" with his schedule at this stage of his career.

Federer's former coach, Severin Luthi, coached Federer from 2007 up until the 20-time major winner retired in 2022. Luthi recently recalled how mistakes can significantly impact Djokovic as a 36-year-old veteran player compared to the days of playing in his 20s.

"He knows he can no longer dance on all counts. If you make major mistakes at this age, it can have serious consequences," said Luthi to Blick. "Djokovic is also starting to walk on eggshells.

"The way Djokovic plans his career at his age is excellent. In addition, he has the gift, like Roger [Federer] in the past, of not having to play a lot of preparation tournaments. He is simply at the top right away."

"When you have been there for so long, you also have to think about what still pleases you. So you may miss out on one more tournament."

Novak Djokovic won Australian Open despite playing with major hamstring tear

After losing in the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz in July, Djokovic took a break and withdrew from the Canada Masters. However, the 36-year-old bounced back with an impressive performance upon his return at the Cincinnati Masters last month, winning the title while only losing one set.

Djokovic advanced to the US Open semi-finals after defeating No. 9 seed American Taylor Fritz dominantly with a score of 6-1,6-4,6-4. The win earned the Serbian significant milestones, including the record for Grand Slam semi-final appearances with 47, the oldest semifinalist since 1991, passing Federer, and a personal record for winning his 205th career match against players ranked No. 10 or higher.

Djokovic stretches to reach a serve during his match against Taylor Fritz

On Sunday, Djokovic won against Borna Gojo, a Croatian qualifier, in the fourth round of the US Open, with a score of 6-2, 7-5, 6-4. This victory marked his 85th career win at the last Grand Slam tournament of the year.

Djokovic was already the only player with 80 or more wins at all four majors, and now he has exceeded his previous record with 85 or more victories at each of them. He now has a 359-48 record across all Grand Slams, falling short of only Federer and Serena Williams for the Grand Slam wins.

The Serbian has the potential to become the first player of the Open Era to reach ten singles finals in multiple Grand Slam events, should he advance beyond the next round. Djokovic could also extend his record for most appearances in the US Open finals.

Rory Robinson