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And so it begins. The next phase of Novak Djokovic’s career starts with a goodbye. The 12-time major champion parted ways with his coaching team last week and this year he will begin a new journey, with his brother the lead figurehead in his camp.

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It’s not what anybody expected, but at the very least, it will give Djokovic time to gather his thoughts and begin a search for the next voice to guide him.

Judging from his comments on Saturday at Madrid, it sounds like Djokovic has a big name on his mind.

“I'm still going through the process of thinking about what the next step will be in terms of finding that person,” Djokovic said when asked about his next coach. “I assume, you know, it's going to be someone that has been through similar experiences like I have, so... Not too many people in the past of tennis have managed to get to that stage and play at that level, so I'll see.”

Happy to have parted ways amicably with the men that formed his team and support group for many years, Djokovic is hoping that some time alone will allow him perspective and the chance to ruminate on what it is that he actually needs to rediscover his brilliance again.


“I'm thinking slowly and thoroughly about it,” he said. “I don't want to take things with a rush. I also know that I'll not stay by myself without tennis coach for too long. I'm just really kind of in a transition now. I'm comfortable where I am at the moment because I know it's a right thing to do, it's a right place to stay. It was just meant to be for me this way.”


The two-time and defending Madrid champion will open his title defense with either Nicolas Almagro or Tommy Robredo in the second round. He’s hoping to reverse a string of four straight tournaments without reaching a semifinal and he knows he still has plenty of work to do in his mind and with his game before he can start to deliver more victories.

“In the last six months, I haven't had too many of great results,” he told reporters. “That's why, you know, I've felt like I needed some changes and I needed to approach things maybe a little bit differently, which is completely fine. … How long maybe this process is going to last before I get to the winning terms again, I don't know. I'm just hoping I will get there again. That's all I can say.”

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