Goran Ivanisevic: I Think Novak Has Many More Grand Slam Titles Ahead

Novak Djokovic’s coach, Goran Ivanisevic, says his guy isn’t done yet after his big win Sunday at Roland Garros. Ivanisevic predicts more Grand Slam titles ahead.

“Grand Slams are the goal,” Ivanisevic said of the team philosophy. “I don’t know how many, but yeah, I think he has in his body a lot more.

“I said in Monte Carlo, I don’t count these tournaments. Monte-Carlo, Rome, anything. Only tournament that count is this one. He has this software in his head that he can switch when a Grand Slam comes. Grand Slam is a different sport comparing to other tournaments. He switch his software. The day we arrived here, he was better, he was more motivated, he was more hungry.”

While Djokovic didn’t want to think about the Calendar Slam which he just missed out on two years ago, Ivanisevic says the feat is on the radar.

“Novak is only player who can win calendar Grand Slam. He was one match away two years ago, so he has a chance this year. But it’s still, you know, long way,” he said.

Ivanisevic also responded to Djokovic’s on-court statement who he “tortured” his team.

“He chain us with handcuffs for three days,” he joked. “He’s not easy guy, let’s put it this way. He is not easy guy. Especially when something’s not going his way.

“We are here for him to feel better, for him to perform better. Sometimes not easy. Sometimes it’s very complicated. But overall, this is for what you live, you know, the tournaments like this, the finishing like this. Was not easy. Was not easy journey.

“You know how we start in Monte Carlo, Banja Luka. Rome was a little better but still away from his real form. He was torturing us, taking our nails off. A lot of more things but I cannot tell you that. But we are still here, we’re alive. My heart is still okay. I’m old man, I need to be careful of my heart. So he’s okay.”

Ivanisevic added that part of the game plan was for Djokovic to stop talking to his box late in the tournament.

“We told him if you want to win this tournament, you need to stop talking to us too much,” Ivanisevic went on. “If you noticed against Alcaraz, and especially today in difficult things, he didn’t look. He didn’t complain. He didn’t yell. Which I was surprised, you know. But happy. Very focused, especially against Carlos in the semifinals, that’s when he plays the best tennis. That’s when he’s not wasting energy on unnecessary things.”

Ivanisevic said he he surprised to read that Carlos Alcaraz was favored in his match with Djokovic despite Novak having 22 Grand Slam titles in 33 finals.

“Like Roddick said, I read, he takes the legs, then he takes your soul, then he dig your grave and you have a funeral and you’re dead. Bye-bye. Thank you for coming,” Ivanisevic said.

“You can’t ever bet against Novak.”