Novak Djokovic says he is in no rush to find a new head coach after parting ways with Andy Murray last week, opting instead for stability and patience as he hunts for his first clay-court win of the season ahead of the French Open.
“I’m not in need of a coach at the moment,” Djokovic said Tuesday, ahead of his opening match at the Geneva Open against Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, ranked No. 134. “There’s no reason to rush. I feel good with the people I have around me for the upcoming tournaments – we’ll see how it goes.”
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, endured a rocky start to 2025 and split with Murray as part of a broader recalibration of his team. For now, he’ll lean on familiar faces: Dusan Vemic, a longtime member of his camp, has flown in from the U.S. to join assistant coach and analyst Boris Bosnjakovic in Geneva.
The partnership with Murray began well, with Djokovic defeating Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open, only to be forced to retire during his semifinal against Alexander Zverev due to injury.
“We felt like we couldn’t get more out of that partnership on the court, and that’s all there is to it,” said Djokovic, who turns 38 on Thursday. “My respect toward Andy remains the same – even more, actually. I got to know him as a person.
“I think he has a brilliant tennis IQ. He has a very rare mind of a champion – obviously, he’s achieved what he has achieved – and he sees the game incredibly well.”
The Serb’s wait for a 100th ATP title continues following his withdrawal from the Italian Open.
Djokovic has not won a match on clay this season, losing his openers in Monte Carlo and Madrid.
His hopes of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title – which would surpass Margaret Court’s long-standing tally of 24 singles majors – appear to be fading.
“It’s a different chapter of my life that I’m trying to navigate myself through,” said the three-time French Open champion. “And yes, I’m not particularly used to having these kinds of circumstances – losing consecutive matches, tournaments, first rounds, and so forth. I don’t think it’s ever happened to me in the last 20 years.
“But I knew that eventually that moment would come.”
After skipping Rome, Djokovic said he is using Geneva as a warm-up for Roland Garros.
“That’s why I’m here, that’s why I’m playing the Geneva tournament – because I’m trying to do well, trying to win more trophies, trying to build my form for Roland Garros and perform at the desired, necessary level in order to go far in the tournament and challenge the best players in the world.
“So yes, the motivation is still there.”
Even so, Djokovic said he is embracing this new phase of his career.
“I know what it takes to be a Grand Slam champion. It’s not as smooth and easy for me as it was 10 years ago. Obviously, things change, and my life has changed a lot – but for the better, to be honest,” he said.
“It’s just a new chapter that I’m embracing. I’m still connected to tennis and still want to express myself on the court. I feel that I still have the game – that I can be one of the contenders for the top Grand Slam titles.”
