‘Djokovic will be back with a bang’

For the first six months in the year, it looked like Djokovic would run away with all records tennis could ever offer. He became the first man, in almost five decades, to win all four Grand Slams at the same time, including five of the last six Slams and was sure of achieving for a calendar Slam too. Within months, it all changed. A shock third round loss at Wimbledon, a wrist, shoulder and toe injury one after the other sent Djokovic’s career in a downward spiral and that meant, Murray dislodged the Serb at the No. 1 position.

What Novak has done over last few years is phenomenal. It is tough to be always at the highest level and keep winning everything under the sun. He has been a problem solver and has found a way to win in many a situation. Winning the French was huge for him after the last two tough losses to Stan and Rafa. Completing the career Slam is a fantastic accomplishment and it is tough to maintain that zeal. So a let-down was expected. He also had his share of personal issues which he had to deal with. In these situations we tell the player to allow himself to experience his emotions, feelings, thoughts and come to a state of acceptance. The mind needs rest and acceptance is the way to move forward. He is already doing that and by 2017 he will be back to where he needs to be.

This is definitely not the end.  It does make it challenging but he can never be written off considering he has won two out of four Slams in 2016 and was a US open finalist. He has set the bar really high and like Roger used to say, I have created a monster of a record which is always hard to live up to.  Right now he is doing everything mentally possible to get into a right state. Once things get clear, which I feel is already the case, and the physical niggles are ironed out, he should be back at his best soon.

Boris, as we all know, is a highly accomplished champion. Being a former number one he knows a lot about the pressure that comes with it. He should keep things simple and state the obvious to him of what he has accomplished this year and how proud he is of his efforts.

Andy has had his best year and this has nothing to do with Novak’s slump.  He worked tremendously hard last off season both physically and mentally to get back in shape for what has turned out to be his best year.  He found a way to beat Novak which he hasn’t in the last few years. He had to win almost everything in the fall season to become number one which he did ad deserves the top spot which has been long coming.