Sport can be bitter. But beyond the hallowed halls and animated grandstands, the human connections forged across uncountable bitter clashes may find renewed vigor in a different time. The latest news on the Novak Djokovic-Andy Murray collaboration is fresh evidence of the same. It promises to be exciting and dramatic and definitely full of highs and lows. But as the tennis behemoth meets his former nemesis again, Jeremy Chardy, current coach of Ugo Humbert, has his own take on how things might pan out.
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Since the Big Four’s retirements, Djokovic’s matches have been mostly a David-meets-Goliath situation, save for a couple of high octane ones against the most promising Next Gen stars. Many speculate that he might have lost his fire – the characteristic chase-every-ball-down hunger – as his biggest rivalries have been relegated to the annals of history. But Chardy clues in spectacularly against these murmurs.
They’re not very close friends but they know each other so it’s always difficult, the relationship will be difficult because Andy was one of the best players and he beat him. And when you’re on the pitch, you don’t see things the same way as a coach,” said Chardy to Express Sport on Thursday.
Can Andy Murray reignite Djokovic’s fire, or is the Djoker’s best tennis behind him?
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But the choice of Murray as Djokovic’s coach might be a formidable strategy. Familiarity often breeds contempt. But that can’t very well be the case, for the Brit and Serb hold mutual admiration for their once-foe – and Chardy knows it too
He continued: “I don’t think they’re going to argue. But maybe! Because sometimes you have to argue, it’s good to argue. Although I think they respect each other too much.” Simultaneously, Chardy, a former world No. 25 who transitioned to coaching after his retirement, provided his assessment of their partnership.
If that is indeed true, then Murray might well be the secret sauce that Djokovic needs after slipping to the 7th rank in the ATP standings. For who better to magnify one’s errors, than someone who has defeated him in almost 11 matches at crucial stages of tournaments? Having struggled with more than a fair share of injuries in his own career, Murray is perfectly poised to adapt and prolong Djokovic’s career at the highest level.
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Can Andy Murray reignite Djokovic’s fire, or is the Djoker’s best tennis behind him?
Even after parting with long-term coach Goran Ivanisevic in March, Djokovic’s tailspin form from the Australian Open four–set semifinal loss against Sinner continued. Upsets from lower seeded players and lucky losers became the unsettling norm. He had lost something from the hot run of form in 2023. The Paris Olympics saw his triumphant return to glory with nail biting dominance that begged the question: was it motivation that the storied Novak Djokovic had been lacking all years.