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Novak Djokovic Wimbledon 2019 first round victory

Novak Djokovic has “another person to play for” according to Grand Slam champion Wilander


World No.1 Novak Djokovic has more fight this year at Wimbledon thanks to a new member of his team adding to his motivation

 

Novak Djokovic is favourite for Wimbledon and after his first round victory Mats Wilander can see that he has “another person he can go and talk tennis to in the locker room and of course another Wimbledon champion.” For Wilander this is a good thing.

That other person in Croatian ex-Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic who recently became a part of the Serb’s team for Wimbledon and possibly after that.

Djokovic recently announced that Ivanisevic had joined his team and Wilander can see that he’s reaping immediate rewards

 

“It’s difficult to say whether Goran Ivanisevic has had an effect on Novak Djokovic tactically, but I think emotionally he has made a big difference. I think you could see in the second set that there is another person he is playing for, that is fighting for, that he is playing for – another person he can go and talk tennis to in the locker room and of course another Wimbledon champion.”

Wilander went on to say of Djokovic’s first round match, “I think today was the perfect match for him to get through a tough three-setter against someone whom he loss to at Indian Wells but also someone he has beaten on the last three occasions they have played.”

Djokovic overcame German Philipp Kohlschreiber in 3 sets and you can read the full match report here

Commenting on Djokovic’s tactics on grass courts Wilander said, ““Novak pretty much sticks to his guns on grass at Wimbledon. He really does try and dictate on his forehand and he is always going to be solid on his backhand but he isn’t going to want to defend too much.”

Djokovic now faces American Denis Kudla in the second round.

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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.