Novak Djokovic’s ‘really smart’ decision that could be ‘very significant’ hailed by leading expert

Ewan West 26 Jan 2026 7:06 PM

Novak Djokovic with Dr Mark Kovacs inset

A leading injury prevention and athlete welfare expert has told Tennis365 that Novak Djokovic’s decision to work with biomechanics coach Dr Mark Kovacs could have “a very significant impact.”

Stephen Smith, the founder and CEO of Kitman Labs — the world’s leading sports science and performance intelligence company — broke down why he feels Djokovic has made a “really smart” move.

Djokovic’s choice to seek out Kovacs’ expertise came after a 2025 season in which the 38-year-old tennis great battled various physical issues.

Ahead of the 2026 Australian Open, Djokovic revealed he had collaborated with Kovacs for “seven or eight days” during his off-season training in Athens and said “it’s possible that we’ll work [together] again.”

“He is a very qualified and highly educated expert in biomechanics and the kinetic chain,” Djokovic said of Kovacs in an interview with Serbian website Sportklub.

“That’s the main reason we brought him in – he is one of the most cited experts in tennis, has published numerous books and holds courses and lectures on these topics. We were looking for people who are the most relevant and credible in that field, people with experience.

“Boris [Bosnjakovic – Djokovic’s coach] and I spent seven or eight days with him in Athens and it was really fantastic. We had room to work on certain segments of my game, which is always a priority for me.”

The 24-time Grand Slam winner: “Now I feel that I don’t move like I used to. Maybe I’ve lost a few tenths in speed, anticipation and decision-making on the court compared to the period when I was dominating tennis – which is normal, it’s biology.

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“At the stage of my career I’m in now, I need to compensate for what I’ve lost, to improve myself so that I can ‘hide’ my weaknesses and emphasise my strengths – in order to compete at the highest level with [Carlos] Alcaraz and [Jannik] Sinner, and with everyone else.”

What did Stephen Smith say about Novak Djokovic working with Mark Kovacs?

In an exclusive interview, Tennis365 asked Smith what impact working with Kovacs could have on Djokovic’s ability to stay healthy.

“I think a very significant impact, not just on his ability to stay healthy, but actually on his performance as well,” Smith said.

“They’ll be looking at the movement that underpins how he’s hitting the ball, how he’s getting around the court, they’ll be looking at that from a technical perspective to understand how does he maintain his form, where is he getting his power from, what do his more accurate shots look like, what’s his mechanical shape and form looking like during these?

“And I think he’ll also be looking at, are there tell-tale biomechanical signs of breakdown or fatigue? Can they start to see that, as fatigue builds in, that his mechanics and movement changes?

“So I think that they’ll be looking at that from both angles, and I think it’s a huge step forward.

“Think about the maturity needed to be able to think about your game like that and to make that level of investment in your body, and protecting yourself and keeping yourself healthy and keeping yourself performing. I think it’s really smart.”