Novak Djokovic can do whatever he likes, hire whoever he likes, he has an endless Bank account, he just looks for the 'little things' to give him an edge. Hiring Boris Becker was one thing but now hiring the great Andre Agassi is a totally different ball game but it gets the Tennis World talking if nothing else.
So why did he ask Andre to help him out ?
Plain and simple, it's an ego boost of epic proportions yet it gives opposition players something else to talk and think about because they all know that Andre was and probably still is one of the greatest ever 'thinkers' when it comes to tennis.
Andre Agassi will definitely give a whole new spin, so to speak, on the sport and it will quite possibly be completely different than Boris Becker who just got the flick from Novak's weekly wage budget.
Novak Djokovic has been suffering mentally since last Wimbledon where in his own mind he probably lost to a tennis 'nobody' in Sam Querrey, even though the American isn't in fact a bad tennis player but he's not really in Novak's league as far as tennis greats are concerned. Sam can hit a ball well but he doesn't really play tennis like the big boys on a consistent basis.
Novak reminds me of Tiger Woods when the great man lost his mojo as far as the game of golf is concerned, when he was 'found out' by not only his wife but the World to be more precise. He went from 'owning' the sport to being a mere 'player' who just made up the numbers all because of a moment or two in his life that if he had his time over, he may have done differently.
No one takes criticism well and it can lead to mental health issues among other things that have a sports person questioning their own immortality that used to be as strong as their game. When the World makes judgement on a sports star it can mean the difference between finding a winner at a crucial time or the timing to be completely thrown out the window due to 'self assessment' that the everyday hacker goes through on a regular basis.
Anybody who owns an ounce of sporting intelligence realises that the only difference between winning and losing from the last 8 or 16 onwards is the mind because if you reach that stage in an event you all know how to strike a ball no matter what the sport may be.
Only the strongest minds have ever prevailed from that moment on in a World class event.
So back to Novak Djokovic. What is his agenda with his current new coach ?
It's obvious he has lost his game, lost his confidence, lost his way in the sport in which he only lost 4 matches in one entire season a few years back. That's not bad when you look at it considering his main rivals.
If you look at the footage of Novak and Andre there actually isn't a great deal of coaching going on, it is more about Novak hitting a tennis ball with one of his biggest heroes within a few metres of him. How could it not inspire him ? Think about it. If we could all afford to place our biggest sporting idol on court next to us while we practiced wouldn't we go up a level or two ?
Around 4 years ago I was fortunate enough to play 12 games against a guy who beat Boris Becker in 1992, a guy who I idolised in Queensland at a training facility. Whilst this former pro was no where near his prime he still owned much of the class that he used to beat a former World number 1.
I was no where near his ability yet I 'scrounged' a few games in an 8-4 loss. Greatest 4 games of my life, no risk.
You only raise your level when you play or gain knowledge from better players or ones that have done it all before you, despite your current or previous ability or results.
Novak Djokovic is quite possibly paying Andre Agassi a fee that most people would be happy to earn in two years of working a 'normal' job but it's 'ash tray' change to Novak as he looks for the one thing to inspire him again.
He wants that domination that he owned in 2011 which was in line with what John McEnroe achieved in 1984 when he only lost 3 matches but Mac didn't have the luxury of a high profile coach, Mac WAS his own coach, a genius.
Novak isn't a genius but he is a bloody good tennis player yet he is lacking something and that appears to be someone like Andre Agassi who if you have taken the time to study his first few sessions with Novak, well he looks as though he is almost overawed himself as he simply looks on as Novak hits.
The 'real' coaching would be going on over dinner as Andre would be offering many thoughts and ideas that Novak has possibly heard all before but with a different type of angle on it, pardon the pun once again.
Yes it would be an ego trip to hire someone of Andre Agassi's stature but hey if you own the funds, the balls to ask and a mind that is in desperate need of something new then why not ?
Egotistical sport tennis, all about self importance.......
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