Novak in search of missing mojo
FORMER CHAMPION DESPERATE TO STOP ROT Serb hopes tune-up in Eastbourne bodes well ahead of arriving at Wimbledon.
Just 12 months ago, Novak Djokovic arrived at Wimbledon with the world at his feet, but he returns to the All England Club with his career in crisis after an astonishing fall from grace.
Having finally succeeded in his quest to win the French Open last year, Djokovic appeared poised to join the tennis immortals.
The Serb was the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time and had won Wimbledon in 2014 and 2015, adding to his 2011 triumph.
So when he strolled onto Court One to face Sam Querrey in the Wimbledon third round there appeared no end in sight to Djokovic’s reign as the sport’s preeminent force. Instead, he gave such a curiously lethargic performance that Querrey was able to win the rain-interrupted encounter to end the then world No 1’s streak of 30 straight Grand Slam match victories.
It was a seismic shock and plunged Djokovic into a tail-spin.
Djokovic has lurched from one problem to another in 2017, losing to world No 117 Denis Istomin in the second round of the Australian Open.
Having parted with coach Boris Becker at the end of last year, he has split with long-time associate Marian Vajda.
Djokovic has also taken to consulting regularly with ‘‘spiritual adviser’’ Pepe Imaz, a former player who runs a tennis academy in Spain for underprivileged children, called “Amor y Paz” (love and peace).
Djokovic hired American legend Andre Agassi as his coach in time for the French Open, but Agassi failed to deliver an immediate improvement as Djokovic crashed to an embarrassing quarter-final defeat against Dominic Thiem at Roland Garros.
With his world ranking down to fourth, Djokovic took the unusual step of entering the grasscourt tournament at Eastbourne this week. It was the first time the 12-time Grand Slam champion has played a competitive tournament between the French Open and Wimbledon since 2010.
Djokovic travelled to the southcoast hoping the sea air would reinvigorate him, but until he thrives in the rarified atmosphere at Wimbledon the doubts will remain. – AFP