Novak Djokovic had some pretty interesting thoughts when reporters asked him about Jannik Sinner’s shocking decision to part ways with his fitness coach and physiotherapist.
The two staff members – Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio – are guys Djokovic knows well. They both worked with him for years before joining Sinner’s team.
It seemed like Sinner was all set for a long-term partnership with these two. The world No. 1 hired them back in September, and honestly, the physical improvements over the past nine months have been pretty amazing.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novak Djokovic | 38 | 8,360 | 18 - 6 |
You could really see how much stronger Sinner looked, especially after he came back from his three-month suspension in May.
That’s exactly why Friday’s news hit everyone like a curveball. Nobody saw this split coming.
Sinner Keeps Things Vague
At his Wimbledon press conference, Sinner tried to downplay the whole situation. He insisted nothing dramatic happened behind the scenes – he just wanted to move in a different direction.
But he didn’t really get into the specifics. Which, let’s be honest, just made everyone more curious about what actually went down.
Djokovic Gets It
Djokovic admitted he was just as surprised as everyone else when the news broke. But at his own press conference, the 24-time Grand Slam champion offered some pretty thoughtful perspective on why these things happen.
"Both of them (Panichi and Badio) were with me, yeah. Well, it’s quite relative what the right person is, the definition of the right person for a certain player is. We are all different. We all have different physical constitutions or, mentally, we’re, I guess, used to a certain way of working."
He went on to explain how players have different approaches to change. Some are more flexible and open to trying new things. Others prefer sticking with people who already understand their style.
"Some people are a little bit more flexible mentally to maybe go out and be open-minded and learn new things and change the way they grew up, for example, of how to do fitness or how to play tennis. Some people like to keep working with people that are aligned with their style of tennis, with their physical work and stuff like this."
The Serbian star was clearly puzzled by the timing though.
"I don’t know what the reasons are for the split with Jannik. It came as a surprise to me as well because I think Jannik’s game and body really has improved so much in the last year, year and a half. They’ve been an integral part of that team. I don’t know, to be honest. But changes happen."
Speaking From Experience
Djokovic should know a thing or two about team changes. Remember when he split with Andy Murray after just a few months of working together? That raised plenty of eyebrows too.
But he’s also got half his team that’s been with him for years, which shows he values loyalty when things are working.
"But as somebody that also has made changes, I understand that sometimes you just are not aligned anymore in whatever of these – how can I say – avenues of thinking or whatever. Then you just split. Maybe you’re looking for something new, something different, some fresh."
He touched on something really interesting about the balance between comfort and progress:
"It just depends. Somebody likes to, like, be comfortable. When you have tennis or fitness coaches or physios that have been with you there for a long time, like I have, half my team has been with me for very long time, it also gives you emotional stability. It gives you a sense of comfort, security, and also strength in that record."
What’s Next?
The real test will be seeing how this change affects Sinner’s game at this year’s Wimbledon.
Both he and Djokovic have their work cut out for them if they want to stop Carlos Alcaraz from winning his third straight title at the All England Club.
It’ll be fascinating to see whether Sinner’s new approach pays off on the grass courts.
