'Novak Djokovic is like Real Madrid, he has to win every match,' said Goran Ivanisevic

Novak Djokovic has been working with Goran Ivanisevic since Wimbledon 2019, adding his friend to the coaching staff to improve his initial shot and make it more effective.

Goran met the 14-year-old Novak at Niki Pilic Academy in Germany, training with him for half an hour and staying in touch ever since. In the last couple of years, Novak has scored some of his finest victories, and Goran Ivanisevic was there to follow him alongside Marian Vajda. For example, the Croat led his pupil towards over 100 aces at this year's Australian Open, something that Novak never achieved before.

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That helped him a lot during the toughest encounters while he was dealing with an abdomen injury, recovering and securing the ninth Australian Open crown. Speaking about Djokovic, Ivanisevic said that he always wants to improve himself and his game, even on a regular basis. Goran compared Novak to Real Madrid, saying that only wins count and that the second place is never good enough.

"I think with Novak what today is good. Tomorrow is not good anymore; it has to be better. Every day has to be better and improve; he pushes you to be a better coach to see those results together. The pressure is always there, as you have to pass many ups and downs; for Novak, the final is not good enough.

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It's similar to Real Madrid; if you are their coach and lose two straight matches, you have to go. Novak is an institution; there are always some records and win around, which creates a lot of pressure. Still, a life without pressure is boring," Goran Ivanisevic said.