Who needs Agassi?
DJOKOVIC BACK ON FORM AFTER SPLIT FROM COACH
NOVAK DJOKOVIC surged back to form at the Monte Carlo Open yesterday, then denied that he and former coach Andre Agassi had fallen out.
The Serb hammered compatriot Dusan Lajovic 6-0, 6-1 in the first round, cutting a contrasting figure to the one who lost his opening matches at last month’s ATP Masters events at Indian Wells and Miami.
Despite Agassi taking the first step in announcing their split, stating that they had ‘agreed to disagree’ too often, Djokovic insisted he remains on good terms with the Las Vegan.
‘I don’t care about the game, who comes in and says things in the press first. Nobody offended anybody,’ said Djokovic, although he did admit he tried to come back from minor elbow surgery too soon in America.
‘The elbow was still not as good as it has been in the last 10 days. Indian Wells, Miami, especially Indian Wells, I obviously wasn’t ready physically. So Indian Wells and Miami were a struggle on the court for me mentally.
‘I know that I can play much better than that, but I couldn’t. I just wasn’t ready.’
Referring to Agassi, he said: ‘We didn’t have any commitment. We didn’t have any contract. He was helping me out. He was genuinely wanting to help and give me advice and share his experience with me.’
The former world No 1 is back with coach Marian Vajda, at least on a temporary basis.
‘We both enjoyed the last 10 days of practice we had a lot,’ said Djokovic. ‘He knows me better than any tennis coach I’ve worked with. He’s a friend.
‘He’s always there for me. He knows me inside out.
‘He knows what I need in order to get to the highest possible level of play. We could not ask for a better start.’