Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, has received some much-needed advice from Dmitry Tursunov, the former coach of rising tennis star Emma Raducanu. Tursunov, who briefly partnered with Raducanu in her blazing 2022 career, has suggested that Djokovic needs to significantly enhance his serve to regain his once indomitable form in the world of professional tennis.
The unexpected defeat of Djokovic in the second round of Indian Wells at the hands of Botic van de Zandschulp has left many stunned. The 37-year-old tennis powerhouse failed to find his rhythm in the match, resulting in a 6-2 3-6 6-1 loss. Tursunov, once ranked 36th in the world, identified Djokovic’s serve as a potential area of weakness.
Djokovic’s recent performance, Tursunov observed, is a sharp contrast to his usual high-calibre play. He disclosed his thoughts to Championat, stating: “I think everyone understands that Novak is currently far from his best form”. Tursunov stressed that Djokovic’s failure to serve even a single ace in the match, coupled with a dismal second-serve win rate of just 29%, were alarm bells for the champion.
Tursunov went on to compare Djokovic’s performance with that of his competitor, Botic van de Zandschulp. While both players had similar first-serve rates, averaging at 67% for Djokovic and 71% for Van De Zandschulp, there was a stark discrepancy in the second-serve winning percentages. Van De Zandschulp boasted a commanding 71% win rate on his second serve, leaving Djokovic’s 29% in the dust.
Tursunov voiced his concerns, remarking that such low win rates on the second serve are not sustainable in the men’s professional circuit. He warned that with such statistics, winning becomes an uphill battle.
The tennis ace Djokovic, acknowledging his lackluster performance, attributed his less-than-stellar play to the conditions of the court in California. He echoed the sentiments of other players, including Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz, who also expressed dissatisfaction with the court conditions.
Djokovic confessed, “I’ve been struggling to play on the desired level.” He further admitted to grappling with consistency in his performance in recent years, experiencing moments of brilliance interspersed with challenging tournaments.
This advice from Tursunov could be the wake-up call Djokovic needs to refocus on his game, particularly his serve, and climb back to the top of elite tennis where he belongs. Only time will tell if Djokovic heeds this advice and if we’ll see an improved performance in his upcoming matches.
