Novak Djokovic finds himself at somewhat of a crossroads heading into the French Open.
He is adjusting to life as a tennis player where he is no longer the dominant force, and consistently going deep in tournaments is becoming even more difficult.
Since the 2023 US Open, the Serbian has claimed just one title, which was the coveted Olympic gold medal.
He has dropped out of the world’s top four and Djokovic is without a coach after parting ways with friend and former rival Andy Murray.
But as he prepares for the clay court Grand Slam, it remains to be seen if Djokovic will hire a brand new coach, or bring back a familiar face.
Could Novak Djokovic bring back Marian Vajda as his coach?
At the age of 37, Novak Djokovic is much closer to the end of his illustrious career than the beginning.
Furthermore, given his level of experience and the number of championships he has won, there seems little that a coach who is new to Djokovic could tell him that he does not already know.
For the remainder of his career, having a familiar face in his corner could help to ignite a spark that he seems to be lacking this season.
Therefore, an ideal future coaching option for Djokovic could be to bring back Marian Vajda, who he achieved so much with in the past.
The 60-year-old has had two separate coaching stints with Djokovic, first from 2006 to 2017 and from 2018 to 2022. Under Vajda’s tutelage, Djokovic won 85 of his 99 ATP Tour titles in what was a very successful partnership.
What did Novak Djokovic and Marian Vajda achieve together?
During the 15 years they worked together, Vajda guided Djokovic to the top of the men’s game.
He dominated at the top of the rankings for large portions of his career and won 20 of his 24 Grand Slams under Vajda’s guidance.
This makes Vajda the most successful coach in tennis history, and he could add to his historic haul if Djokovic were to re-hire him and be guided to a record 25th Grand Slam.
Reflecting on his partnership with Djokovic, Vajda said in November 2024: “When we started working, I thought he couldn’t improve. He’s the best player who could have deserved it, and it was simply incredible.
“As a coach, I saw how he progressed, how he trained better, but for him, the goal was to be the number one in tennis and win all those tournaments, Grand Slam titles.
“It has been an incredible journey, but when I look back now and see all those numbers, it truly is an incredible achievement. I would have never imagined he would win so many titles and tournaments and be the best in the history of tennis.”
After their second split in 2022, Djokovic praised Vajda for how he helped him throughout his career. “Marian has been by my side during the most important and memorable moments in my career,” said Djokovic.
“Together we have achieved some incredible things and I am very grateful for his friendship and dedication over the last 15 years.”
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