Novak Djokovic and Pepe Imaz share a turbulent history. The latter joined Djokovic’s team after his French Open win in 2016. However, that period also coincided with the Serb’s slump. Over the next two years, he failed to win a Grand Slam title. It also resulted in the split between Djokovic and Boris Becker. Imaz and Djokovic ended their working relationship in April 2018. However, the two have maintained a healthy personal relationship despite their split.

Further, Djokovic has endured a difficult 2022 season. He missed the Australian Open after being deported from Australia. Subsequently, he has played just a single tournament this season. Moreover, it is uncertain whether he’ll participate in the upcoming Grand Slam tournaments. Amidst the difficult times, Pepe Imaz has backed the Serb.

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Pepe Imaz reveals he’s always there to support Novak Djokovic

Djokovic’s former associate talked about the Serb’s humble background and his rise to the top. He said, “We have to put ourselves in the situation where he grew up. It’s easy to talk about it, but if you know what his life was like, that bombs were falling… Wow! He has progressed a lot as a human being, so he managed to balance that strength that may not have been in harmony.”

Further, he added, “He shares what he wants and when he wants it. He can knock on the door and say he felt this or that. It is up to him to say – Pepinho, can we meet?” (Translated using Google Translate)

Last season, Djokovic came agonizingly close to completing a Calendar Grand Slam. However, he went down to Daniil Medvedev in straight sets in the title clash at the US Open. Nonetheless, it was a remarkable season for the Serb, having won the other three major titles.

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Further, this year he has played only in at the Dubai Tennis Championships. However, he suffered a shock defeat against Jiri Vesely in the quarterfinals. With the clay-court season commencing next month, it remains to be seen which tournaments Djokovic plays in.