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Novak Djokovic telephones French Open star after coach abruptly ripped up contract settlement

Novak Djokovic revealed all following his French Open first-round victory over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard

Novak Djokovic admitted he spoke along with his compatriot after his teaching announcement (Picture: Getty)

Novak Djokovic revealed he is been in touch with Miomir Kecmanovic as he addressed the current hiring of Viktor Troicki following his French Open win over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Djokovic confirmed forward of the French Open that his fellow countryman Troicki had joined his teaching workers, as he had been with out a coach since parting methods with Andy Murray in 2025.

Troicki had been teaching Kecmanovic since 2025, and earlier than that, the Serbian junior Hamad Medjedovic from 2022 to 2024. And Kecmanovic was left lower than impressed by the way in which Troicki dropped him to begin working with Djokovic at Roland Garros.

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Following his first-round French Open win over Fabian Marozsan on Sunday, Kecmanovic mentioned: “To let you know the reality, that call confused me, to not say – shocked me!

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“On Sunday I gained the Challenger, on Monday I used to be knowledgeable that he was ending cooperation with me, and on Wednesday we had been imagined to journey to Paris. He was already on Tuesday afternoon at Chatriere with Novak.

“All the things is evident right here, I don’t have so as to add a lot, I’m very dissatisfied, however my God, I’ve Ogi (Ognjen Jovanovic) with whom I’m doing effectively, there’s good power, he believes in me – he’s the top coach now.”

However when requested about Kecmanovic’s feedback, Djokovic prompt he spoke to his compatriot on the cellphone about it to clear the air. He mentioned: “We had communication, I didn’t see him reside. I want to congratulate him on his victory now, in addition to the one within the match earlier than (the challenger in Valencia).

“I contacted him, we talked and I advised him from my perspective what occurred and the way it’s. How he accepted it and what’s between him and Victor – I can’t go into that. That’s all I can say.”

Djokovic in motion towards Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (Picture: Getty)

Requested why he wished to work with Troicki, Djokovic replied: “It’s quite simple. Viktor is aware of me as a pal – we’ve identified one another for the reason that age of eight or 9.

“We all know one another on the court docket, I performed towards him, I performed doubles with him, we performed the Davis Cup, gained it collectively.

“He was the selector and coach once we gained the gold medal right here. We travelled collectively for therefore a few years. He’s positively one of many closest folks I’ve in my life.

“I didn’t wish to carry some unknown folks, I don’t have the endurance for that. I wished to carry somebody who is aware of me effectively and who can definitely contribute along with his expertise. That’s the largest motive.”

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Djokovic made extra historical past on the French Open on Sunday night time, turning into the primary participant to seem in his 82nd Grand Slam match two days after his thirty ninth birthday, breaking the document he shared with Roger Federer for essentially the most appearances in males’s singles on the majors.

It’s the Serbian’s twenty second successive yr taking part in at Roland Garros and never since 2010 had he misplaced a set within the opening spherical, however he needed to battle from behind to see off Perricard 5-7 7-5 6-1 6-4.

“I wish to congratulate Giovanni for a fantastic match,” he mentioned afterwards. “It’s not many instances in my profession I’ve confronted a serve like that.

“Within the first set I had no probability. The second set it modified slightly for me. In a match like that you must keep concentrated and look ahead to a possibility, It’s slightly difficult however I discovered my greatest sport, you could possibly say, and my return on the proper second.”

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