Novak Djokovic’s former coach reveals three ways the Serb ‘immediately impressed’ him
Revered coach Riccardo Piatti has highlighted three ways Novak Djokovic “immediately impressed” him when he worked with the tennis icon early in his career.
The Italian pointed to Djokovic’s technique, mentality and maturity as the qualities that struck him most, while he also stressed the importance of the Serb, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to tennis.
Piatti coached a young Djokovic from late 2005 — when he was 18 — until June 2006, and later declared he knew the Serbian could reach the very top when working with him.
“When we worked together I thought he could become No 1 in the world at the level of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer because Novak always worked hard as a kid, with the family, and he was very focused and determined to be world No 1,” he told Reuters during Djokovic’s incredible 2011 season.
Piatti coached tennis great Maria Sharapova in 2019 and 2020 at the end of the Russian star’s glittering career. He has also worked with a host of top men’s players, including Jannik Sinner, Ivan Ljubicic, Milos Raonic, Richard Gasquet and Borna Coric.
Djokovic was beaten by Casper Ruud in the semi-finals at the 2024 Monte Carlo Masters last week, where he was playing just his third ATP tournament of 2024.
READ MORE: ‘It’s almost disturbing to see Novak Djokovic in this state’, declares tennis legend
Speaking in an interview during the event in Monte Carlo, Piatti reflected on his time as Djokovic’s coach and paid tribute to the ‘Big Three.’
“I had the opportunity to work with him when he was younger, when he was 18 years old. He immediately impressed me with his technique and with his mentality and maturity,” recalled the 65-year-old, as quoted by We Love Tennis.
“He experienced the war in Serbia, everyone knows his story. He, like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, we would like them to be eternal because tennis needs them. They are huge competitors and it is important for the younger generation to face them.”
Last year, Piatti explained why Sharapova was the one who impressed him most out of all the players he has coached.
“Unfortunately, the player who impressed me the most is the one I trained the least, I trained [her] for around ten months. It’s a woman and it’s Maria Sharapova,” said the Italian in an interview with TV Monaco.
“She was the one who impressed me the most because she was the one who knew me best and because she was a woman. I have coached mostly men, Djokovic, Ljubicic etc.
“But with Sharapova, it was really very special because she was nearing the end of her career and she wanted to experience another side of tennis. I had this opportunity to work with her and honestly we spent ten, eleven months together during which I was able to appreciate her way of reasoning, of thinking.
“She has priorities and she knows them very well. She devotes herself enormously to work. There was a lot of affinity with her and her entire team.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get any results, it’s a bit strange because she’s the only player I didn’t get good results with but she’s the one I had the most success with.”
