Patrick Mouratoglou clarifies Novak Djokovic comments and explains motivation claims
Patrick Mouratoglou’s claims that Novak Djokovic’s motivation has waned to a point that he will not win against Grand Slam title sparked plenty of debate among the Serbian’s passionate supporters.
Any perceived snipe in Djokovic’s direction from a prominent voice in tennis tends to be greeted with hostility by fans of the 24-time Grand Slam champiod and now celebrated coach Mouratoglou has now taken to LinkedIn to clarify his comemnts that were published in a video on the platform last week.
Djokovic is chasing a 25th Grand Slam title that will allow him to finish his career with the most major titles in tennis, as he is currently tied with Australian great Margaret Court on 24 wins in the biggest tournaments of them all.
Now Mouratoglou has posted a new message reflecting on Djokovic’s levels of motivation, as he prepares for what may be his best and possibly final chance to win against Grand Slam when he looks to win a record-equaling eighth Wimbledon title in a tournament that gets underway on the last day of this month.
“Next time you’re asked if Novak can win a 25th Grand Slam, think about it, what did he just show us in Paris?” began Mouratoglou on LinkedIn.
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“Ten days before Wimbledon, a tournament he’s won seven times, reaching the final in six of the last editions; there’s one thing I’m sure of: Novak Djokovic’s tennis is still there. But is his fire?
“After a shaky clay season, Novak made it all the way to the Roland Garros semifinals, beating top players like Zverev and pushing world No 1 Jannik Sinner in a tight three-set match. Technically, physically, he’s still at the level.
“Let’s be clear: his tennis hasn’t dropped. He’s still capable of producing the precision, variation, and timing that made him one of the greatest players in history.
“Physically, he was also there. Moving well, defending with incredible elasticity, and holding intensity for four full sets.
“Yes, he can still prepare better, and the lack of matches earlier in the clay season did affect him. “But his body handled more than three hours at Roland Garros, that’s no small feat.
“What stood out to me in that semi final wasn’t just the quality of the rallies, it was the body language.
“The Novak I’ve known, coached against, and admired for two decades was always a beast on the court, fueled by an inner fire to prove the world or himself wrong, to dominate, to win at all costs.”
Mouratoglou went on to suggest the desire for more Grand Slam wins may be there for Djokovic’s, but he is struggling to convince his mind and his heart to come with him on that journey.
“Against Sinner? He fought, yes. But it wasn’t the same,” added Mouratoglou, reflecting on Djokovic’s straightsets semi-final defeat against Sinner in Paris.
“He smiled. He seemed to enjoy the stage. And that’s great. Unless you’ve built your entire legacy on turning every big match into a question of life or death.
“The Novak who once played with rage and purpose was driven by a fight, a purpose, not just to win Grand Slams, but to be the greatest of all time. That fight is over. He won it. Now the question is: what’s next?
“When you’ve climbed the mountain, what pushes you to climb it again? He’s still one of the very best. But in tennis, motivation is the invisible difference between competing and conquering.”
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