“Who knows where the end is?” An excited Ivanisevic says Djokovic won’t stop there

Coach Goran Ivanisevic was in fits of laughter as Novak Djokovic thanked his team and family in his victory speech at Roland-Garros on Sunday.

“Behind closed doors, I really tortured you!” said the newly crowned 23-time Grand Slam champion.

“He handcuffed us for three days,” Ivanisevic smiled a few hours later at his press conference. “He’s not an easy guy, let’s put it this way. He’s not an easy man. Especially when something doesn’t go his way.

“But we’re here to put our backs and come out to hit. That’s what the team is for. We’re here to make him feel better, to make him perform better. Sometimes not easy. Sometimes it’s very complicated.

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“But overall this is what you live for, you know, tournaments like this, this kind of finish. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t an easy journey. You know how we start in Monte-Carlo, Banja Luka. Rome was a little bit better, but still far from his true form.

“He tortured us and took out the claws. A lot more, but that I can’t tell you. But we’re still here, we’re alive. My heart is still fine. I’m an old man, I have to be careful of my heart. So he’s fine.”

Ivanisevic: I’m sorry that Nadal is not here

And the rest of the tour will not be happy to see that Ivanisevic believes the 36-year-old has even more in store.

“I’m really sorry that Rafa is not here, but I say long ago before I even became a member of his team that he and Rafa will exceed 22. I hope that Rafa will come back to win one more. , and Novak is the only player to win a calendar Grand Slam. He was one game away two years ago, so he has a chance this year.

“But there’s still a long way to go. But you know, Grand Slams are the goal. I don’t know how many, but yeah, I think she’s got a lot more in her body.

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He added that at times he saw Djokovic look a little tired of life on the road, but then saw him replenish his motivation.

“He comes on the field and then you see how much he enjoys training, how much he enjoys hitting winners, how much he enjoys the little details, working on the little details.

“You know, winning, you know, in front of this incredible crowd, this incredible stadium. So I don’t know how far, that’s why his body is amazing, he keeps his body great, he’s in great shape. Thank god not too many injuries. A little here and there, but no major injuries.

“So he’s incredible, and he still moves like a cat on the field. He’s there. Like a ninja, he’s everywhere.

“So it’s fascinating to see because sometimes you think, OK, now you’re 23. But he’ll find some motivation again to win 24, maybe 25, who knows where the end is?”