Poll: Should Novak Djokovic Get Rid Of Boris Becker?

Quoting R. Nadal – the coach gets no credit or blame for results. It is the player who is responsible for all that happens on court.

There are no magic fixes. Novak will have to work through his insecurities if he wants the top slot back.

January 21st, 2014 at 10:26 pm

grigor looking good early on. nice job aga! taking out azarenka….i smell an aga/genie final!…although i won’t mind if li na makes it.

boris and novak seemed like a weird move…even watching boris in the stands feels weird. who knows how it will play out.

January 21st, 2014 at 11:29 pm

Ultimately, it is the player who has to deliver the goods on court. A Coach can only tutor strategy, tactics and the strengths and weakness of the opponent. It is the player who has to take a leaf out of this and do his best. Unfortunately, it is the Coach who gets all the bouquets as well as brickbats based on the success or failure of the one he coaches. This is pretty unfair both ways.

January 22nd, 2014 at 12:20 am

law of averages caught djokovic why should boris be fired

January 22nd, 2014 at 1:30 am

(a) who cares, but (b) the real answer is, why did he hire him in the first place? Looking to replicate the Lendl magic? But what does Becker offer?

I wonder the same thing about Edberg.

Maybe the placebo effect works with tennis coaches too; that’d be reason enough to license this silliness.

January 22nd, 2014 at 2:25 am

Even a 2 year old knows that BB had nothing to offer Nole. I think he just wanted a big star in his box to get more attention.

January 22nd, 2014 at 3:37 am

I think he should continue to retain BB. At least he can guide joker to the quarter final stage!! Lol

January 22nd, 2014 at 3:51 am

I called it. This was a bad deal and now we have proof.

January 22nd, 2014 at 7:06 am

Boris didn’t lose the match!

January 22nd, 2014 at 8:19 am

If you are the coach, you share in your pupil’s win or loss. Therefore, together with Novak, Boris lost that match.

January 22nd, 2014 at 8:41 am

He didn’t help him win it!

January 22nd, 2014 at 8:41 am

Djoker, that copy of “Volleying for Dummies” is in the mail.

January 22nd, 2014 at 12:37 pm

This conversation is crazy. Now BB is losing for Djoker, and Edberg wining for Fed?

January 22nd, 2014 at 1:34 pm

Boris’ coaching days were predetermined. He’s just there for decoration till his actual coach can get back on the tour.

January 22nd, 2014 at 2:05 pm

Nole is dangerously close to achieving Becker’s current status of “has been.” Against Stan, he played ultra passively at key moments, especially break points, and ultimately got what he deserved. Walked out of Rod Laver like a master corporal, leaving a debris of unforced errors in his wake. I can’t fathom why an ultra talented six-time GS winner displays no confidence and now regularly chokes on the big stage. Previously it was to Nadal and Murray, now Wawrinka. What’s wrong, Nole? As I posted previously, his career has been in steady and increasingly noticeable decline since peaking at the 2012 Aussie Open. He knows it, and possibly thought replacing Vajda with Becker would “shake things up” and snap him out of the malaise. It’s not Becker’s fault, as the problem lies between Nole’s ears. Now that he’s entering marriage, which will likely expand his already substantial outside interests (his Foundation, etc.), and turning 27 soon, he is at risk of never winning another Grand Slam. Hope I’m wrong, but he’s giving me “Bjorn Borg after ’81 US Open” vibes. Would be a shame, as nobody but he can stand up to the ponderous, dull, buttpicking Majorcan pusher. Oh well, there’s always the women’s game. Eugenie Bouchard, anyone?

January 22nd, 2014 at 5:35 pm

@Eric: I do have a similar concerns about Novak’s future but also what you mentioned yourself-hope.I think he will turn the tables.
The other thing we have different is opinion about one of the greatest, 13 slam ( and probably more ) champion of all times-you may not like his style of play but you should at least have a respect for somebody who achived so much, so young.
Its hard enough having Novak loosing another big match, but reading one after another gloomy posts of yours is harder…
Maybe, you should start following women’s game?

January 22nd, 2014 at 6:33 pm

@courbon, as fans we are entitled to our individual opinions. The gloominess of my posts on Djoker reflects my disappointment in him as a devoted fan. And my sadness that such an exceptional talent may have lost his will to win. Were he still in the tournament, the posts would have been quite happy.
As for Nadal, I’m not the only one to have this perception of him. It’s also obvious that only Djokovic can stop him from dominating men’s tennis. However, this much is certain: whatever one may think of Nadal’s playing style, the adjustment of his underpants before every serve is unseemly and repulsive. He should stop doing it, but no writers or announcers call him out on it, so it continues. If nothing else, surely we can agree on that?

January 22nd, 2014 at 6:48 pm

The biggest mistake for Joker was to get new trainer on the beginning of the Grand Slam. He finished 2013. in an upward trend with a great improvement on his net play. Beker didn’t bring nothing new in his game. It was weird to me that he was talking about him and Beker playing in Miami. I was like who is coaching who here?

January 22nd, 2014 at 7:11 pm

Edberg does seem somewhat more cerebral than Becker. Maybe it’s that strong, silent vibe that Swedish tennis players seem to project. All that being said, coaches don’t win or lose tennis matches the blown volley on match point wasn’t the fault of any coach. A coach is there to provide perspective and scout opponents. At this level, there is very little technical guidance that be provided.

January 22nd, 2014 at 9:26 pm

^do you think Edberg already has/had a influence on Feds play and tactics in this tourney?

January 22nd, 2014 at 9:29 pm

I don’t think so. If Federer loses to Nadal should he dump Edberg?

January 22nd, 2014 at 9:40 pm

^didn’t mean that

January 22nd, 2014 at 9:42 pm

I’m just plain disappointed. I really thought Nole is going to win this one. Tough one to swallow but as somebody said, Nole was too passive and you can’t make UEs at the wrong time.

January 22nd, 2014 at 10:34 pm

@Patson,
Same here. Nole has an excellent record at AO. But looking back at his recent matches with Stan, he has given Nole a very tough match. That said, I thought Nole was ready to take 2014 seriously. But when I saw him take on Becker???? uhhh..Mmmm..kinda guess we’ll see….not ….ALRIGHT! Bring it!
I love Becker, his persona, his game. But as a Coach? As someone mentioned earlier, why change Coaches? If he is looking to dominate again, look at the formula back in 2011, the answer is there!

January 22nd, 2014 at 10:47 pm

I think Novak’s big drawback is that he is too concerned about how the public views him. He works so hard to be liked. That’s why he does those comic routines and those negative reactions when the crowd cheers for his opponents. I believe it affects his game when he feels that the crowd is against him. Maybe all the negative feedback when he picked Becker as coach also has an effect on him. In 2011, his great year, he seemed less concerned with the crowd. I don’t remember him doing impersonations or acting up when the crowd cheered for his opponent.

January 22nd, 2014 at 10:59 pm

Man, who’s this impostor Eric? Choose a different name! I’ve been here forever!

January 22nd, 2014 at 11:15 pm

Polo,
Good point.

January 22nd, 2014 at 11:28 pm

@ Eric: You are absolutely right-we all have different opinions.I’m very disappointed myself about Novak, but I want to keep my gloominess until middle of this year-if he does not win RG or Wimbledon, I think he is mentally finished and your observation is correct.I hope he prove us wrong!
Regarding butt picking-I’m sure Nadal knows that looks stupid but he has OCD.If he started that as young, it’s almost impossible for him to change.I know somebody close with similar guestures and its very hard to stop apparently…

January 23rd, 2014 at 12:32 am

@Eric: changed moniker to add last initial per your request.
@Polo: very astute observation, right on the mark! The obsequiousness and over the top sportsmanship works to his detriment. The key example — and the beginning of his decline — was when he agreed to stop play in the rain at Rolland Garros in 2012 when he had a hysterical Nadal on the ropes. Even though by the rules he could have insisted on playing on, while Nadal was unravelling. Would the ultra competitive Nadal have done the same thing for Nole? I think he was shocked by the fan/media reaction after the 2009 US Open Roddick match, and has done his overcompensating nice guy routine ever since. Such as reversing linesmen’s calls in Paris and giving points to his opponent, exaggerated hugs at the net, meek “Uncle Tom” comments in the interview room after tough losses, etc.

January 23rd, 2014 at 1:39 am

Lol didn’t take long for this question to be raised! English football teamitis at work.
As for Rafa’s OCD, I blame Uncle T. Read Rafa’s autobiography if u doubt me.

January 23rd, 2014 at 2:17 am