Agassi had rejected Djokovic’s offer before Graf intervened
PARIS: Andre Agassi revealed he initially declined to coach Novak Djokovic, only to be convinced by wife and tennis great Steffi Graf.
Struggling to recapture his best form, world No 2 Djokovic surprisingly announced American eight-time grand slam winner Andre Agassi would coach him at the French Open.
Agassi, 47, said it took Steffi Graf – one of the greatest players of all-time after winning 22 majors – to convince him to take the job. “Novak called me about three weeks ago,” Agassi told Tout Le Sport.
“I said no at the start, but my wife said, ‘you should go, you will love it’.”
He added: “We had organised a family trip during Roland Garros, it was planned for a long time, so I hope to see one or two of Novak’s matches and try to bring him what I can because a small remark can do a lot.
“What I know, with certainty, is that he can be even better. I think he can only improve, because he will understand how strong he is.”
It was at Roland Garros last year that Djokovic completed the career Grand Slam, winning the most recent of his 12 majors.
His partnership with Agassi, however, appears set to be a brief one.
“The only agreement we have is for Paris,” Agassi said. “Given our discussions, it’s not a fulltime job for me.”