Novak Djokovic and Goran Ivanisevic have built their relationship through challenges and victories. So, the Croatian legend teamed up with Djokovic back in mid-2019, and during their time together, they snagged nine Grand Slam titles before parting ways in early 2024. During their time together, Ivanisevic took on the role of motivator and mentor, drawing from his own Wimbledon-winning experience to guide Djokovic in fine-tuning his serve, strategy, and mental strength.

After coaching Novak for almost five years, Ivanisevic has been observing from a distance as Djokovic makes his way through the later stages of his career. Even though their formal working relationship came to an end, it hasn’t changed the respect they have for each other. “First of all, Goran is my friend for life, mine and my family’s,” the Serbian tennis star said after the split. “He is a very dear person for me, the end of our professional collaboration doesn’t mean that our friendship stops.”

Now that Wimbledon is here, Ivanisevic has shared a pretty bold opinion. Despite the rumors floating around that this could be Djokovic’s last chance at a Grand Slam, his former coach is totally not on board with that idea. In an interview with Clay Tennis, he was asked about Novak Djokovic’s tough time at the French Open. He shared, “I felt bad about that third set—he had 15-40, two set points, and didn’t do anything wrong. I’m not saying he’d have won if he took that set, and even if he did, Alcaraz was waiting. But here, I see his chance. Looking at the draw, I don’t think no one can beat Djokovic before the semis, and he’s never lost to Sinner here. OK, Australian Open and Roland Garros, but here Novak’s beaten him twice. In my view, Novak’s the favorite, no matter how sentimental that sounds.”

So, there were definitely some questions raised about Djokovic’s exit from the French Open semifinal when he faced off against Jannik Sinner. Even though players like Carlos Alcaraz are definitely a tough challenge, Ivanisevic thinks Novak has the upper hand. His background on grass, experience, and impressive record really make him the favorite at Wimbledon, in his opinion.

So, when they asked the former coach about Djokovic’s future in the sport, he mentioned, “The other day he and Tsitsipas practiced together. It was a joy to watch, especially now that I’m on the other side. When I was his coach, it was great, but you’re always focused—what will he say, what to look for. Now I could just enjoy it. Such ease of movement, ease of play—the ball flies at 300 km/h thanks to his technique and timing. If you look at that, he can play until LA. Motivation is another matter—showing up, training—he’s 38. But here, he looks ready, playing well. I get the sense he sees his opportunity.”

Ivanisevic talked about a recent practice session where Djokovic was hitting with Stefanos Tsitsipas, and he mentioned how easy it looked for Novak. The Serbian tennis star is still in great shape, but his former coach admits that keeping the motivation going is the tough part. He mentions that managing nerves under pressure is really important, but importantly, this doesn’t have to be the last chapter for Novak.

The former coach still sees a way ahead: a chance not just at Wimbledon, but also at the US Open and maybe even the LA Olympics in 2028. But Djokovic did pick up on a few concerns during the early rounds at Wimbledon.

Novak Djokovic is surrounded by too many concerns

Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon journey didn’t kick off as smoothly as he might have hoped, as he looked pretty unwell during his first-round match. He got medical attention twice during the third set and really felt a big change. After people started worrying about his health, he shrugged it off, saying, “I went from feeling my absolute best for a set and a half to my absolute worst for about 45 minutes. Whether it was a stomach bug, I struggled with that, but then the energy kicked back after the doctor’s miracle pills, and I managed to finish the match on a good note.”

However, Serbian media outlet Blic pointed out some concerns, mentioning how he kept doing full-body stretches during changeovers and suggesting there might be some breathing issues going on. The attention really increased with Djokovic’s new celebratory “pump” gesture after the match.

In response to the increasing speculation, Djokovic clearly dismissed any political motives linked to his celebration. He explained that it’s a fun, personal tradition he shares just with his kids—based on a song called “Pump It Up”—and it’s not related to the student protest slogan at all.