‘Novak Djokovic isn’t here anymore – something broke the motivation’
Renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou has proclaimed that something “broke” the motivation of Novak Djokovic and suggested that the end of the Serbian’s career could be close.
Djokovic is the current world No 4, but he is widely considered to still be the third best player on the ATP Tour after the dominant Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
The 38-year-old fell at the semi-final stage at all four Grand Slam tournaments in 2025. He won his 24th and most recent major at the 2023 US Open.
Since Djokovic won the ATP Finals at the end of an outstanding 2023 campaign, he has won only two tournaments: the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2025 Geneva Open (his 100th singles title).
In a video posted on his Instagram account, Mouratoglou declared that Djokovic is “not here anymore.”
“He (Djokovic) achieved everything,” said the Frenchman, who has coached Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“So I feel that something broke the motivation, the drive that made him as the greatest of all time.
“He’s not here anymore. How long is he going to stay in that position? I don’t think long.
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“I think he still likes to be there because I think he probably wants to find a great connection with the fans, which he starts to have.
“It was difficult while Rafa and Roger were at the top, because they had such a strong connection that it was depriving him from having that position and that connection.
“Definitely the drive doesn’t look like what it was before. It’s a different drive, but it’s not a drive that brings the results that he could have before, and it makes sense, and I understand, but he’s not producing the results he used to have.”
Mouratoglou recently claimed that Djokovic’s loss of belief is a bigger problem than his aging body.
“The real issue is not whether his body is weaker, but that he seems to believe it. And that belief is new,” said Mouratoglou.
“Earlier in his career, when he was behind Federer and Nadal, he always said: “I will find a way, I will be better.”
“Now, he says the door is closed. That shift is massive. Novak’s greatest strength was his unbreakable belief. If that inner conviction is gone, the body follows.”
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