"He was healthy, but it just didn't work out": Goran Ivanisevic dismisses rumours of Novak Djokovic illness before Sinner loss
ATPMonday, 05 February 2024 at 17:30
Contrary to what was believed during the Australian Open run, Novak Djokovic was 100% and not unwell during his loss against Jannik Sinner according to coach, Goran Ivanisevic.
Ivanisevic spoke after the tournament to SportKlub which saw Djokovic's dominance at the Australian Open come to an end in a 1-6, 2-6, 7-6, 3-6 defeat with questions asked of the 24-time Grand Slam champion and theories aplenty and for Ivanisevic, it was a simple note of Djokovic not being right on the day to win the match and wasn't a question of illness.
But despite the loss, Ivanisevic wasn't bitter and said if Djokovic was to lose to anyone, he was glad it was Sinner who went on to defeat Medvedev from two sets down in a 3-2 win in a miraculous final comeback which saw the Italian become a Grand Slam champion for the first time and stopped the Golden Slam and 11 time Australian Open record in its tracks.
“Sooner or later he had to lose, we were all aware of that. It's just a shame that it happened this way, but against Sinner if you're not 100%, you have nothing to ask for. And even when you're at 100%, you can still lose. However, the whole Australian Open was somehow not right for Novak, from the first round onwards. Well, let's move on, it's nothing that tragic," said Ivanisevic as per SportKlub.
“No, nothing bothered him, he was healthy, but it just didn't work out... It can happen to him too, he's flesh and blood. On the other hand, if he should have lost to someone, then I'm glad it was against Sinner."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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