Without Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, there probably would not have been Novak Djokovic. The French tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou, in the latest video posted on his Instagram account, focused on the future of the Serbian champion, analyzing his rise in relation to the careers of Swiss Mestro and the Spaniard.
The French coach believes that the Serbian champion struggled to find real motivation before the start of the Olympics and the return to the court of his historic rival Rafael Nadal. After winning the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, will Nole be able to find new goals to achieve? According to Mouratoglou, Djokovic has always charged himself thinking about the rivalries with Roger Federer and Nadal, to become the best. Only Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, according to Mouratoglou, could be able to reawaken his ego.
“Novak can play for another three or four years at the highest level. But the real question mark is about his motivation. I think he struggled with his motivation until the Olympics. Everyone felt it was the end for Nadal, even Novak thought so. That took away his motivation. Then Rafa came back to clay and his level was good. I think that gave Novak extra motivation.
Sinner started playing great. Alcaraz came back to play great. That might have touched his ego and he came back stronger and finally won the Olympic gold medal that he has been chasing his whole career. He has completed his collection of trophies.
So what will happen now? He is in great shape, he has played incredible tennis. He is ready to compete for another three or four years, but he needed that competition with Federer and Nadal to be the greatest. Only Alcaraz and Sinner can motivate him and push him to give his best,” explained the former coach of Serena Williams.