(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Boris Becker says being around Novak Djokovic was a pure enjoyment. In 2013, Djokovic hired former six-time Grand Slam champion Becker to be his coach. The two worked together until the end of the 2016 season. During their partnership, Becker guided Djokovic to six Grand Slam titles.
Djokovic is no stranger to media criticism but Becker insists the Serb is a great guy to be around.
Becker on his time with Djokovic
“He’s actually a very outgoing, very worldly man. Sometimes he comes across as a bit of a tennis machine.
But when he’s not in his office, he is very charming. You can talk to him about business, politics, about music, and he’s a good guy. He’s also a real tennis historian. He understands who was there beforehand and he wants to make a mark.
Which he has done. Then he’s a perfectionist, like all superstars. He wants to play the perfect match, which in his case probably happened once or twice,” Becker told The Guardian. In 2016, Becker was a part of Djokovic’s team when the Serb won his first French Open title.
Djokovic, who won his second French Open title in 2021, will be aiming to win his title at Roland Garros this year. Becker feels Djokovic has proved many times that he can never be counted at a Grand Slam event. “Clay is not his best surface, but in the last couple of years he was able to pull it back together at the French.
As long as he’s healthy, and as long as he wants to play, he is always going to be one of the favorites to win a Grand Slam,” Becker said. Djokovic’s preparation for the French Open hasn’t been ideal as the Serb suffered quarterfinal exits in Rome and Banja Luka, while he also lost in the Monte Carlo round-of-16. But Djokovic has a habit of delivering his best tennis when it matters the most.
