In the ever-evolving saga of Novak Djokovic, one of tennis’s most towering figures, a new chapter has unfolded that reveals the depths of his resolve—and it comes straight from the mouth of his former coach, Goran Ivanisevic. On March 25, 2025, as the clay courts of Europe begin to beckon, Ivanisevic, the Croatian maestro who once guided Djokovic to nine Grand Slam titles, opened up about a pivotal moment that nearly saw the Serbian star walk away from the sport he’s dominated for two decades. It’s a tale of conviction, defiance, and a stance that set Djokovic apart from his peers, one that Ivanisevic now reflects on with a mix of awe and vindication.
The story traces back to early 2022, when the world was still grappling with the ripples of a global pandemic. Djokovic, already a 24-time Grand Slam champion, found himself at the center of a firestorm over his refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine. It wasn’t just a personal choice—it was a career-altering decision that saw him deported from Australia on the eve of the Australian Open, a tournament he’d won nine times before. “Novak said no to the vaccine, ready to walk away from his career,” Ivanisevic recounted, his voice carrying the weight of that moment. “A choice no other elite athlete matched. The world condemned him, criticized him relentlessly, even spat on his name for standing firm. Yet he never wavered, sticking to his beliefs.”
That deportation wasn’t just a logistical hiccup—it was a seismic event that barred Djokovic from defending his title and sent shockwaves through the tennis community. Ivanisevic, who stood by his side through the ordeal, remembers the vitriol that followed. “The world turned him into a villain,” he said, painting a picture of a man vilified by media, fans, and even governments. “He was ready to end his career for this reason—he went all the way just to avoid getting vaccinated.” For a player who’d spent over 400 weeks as world No. 1, the idea of stepping away at the height of his powers was unthinkable to many. Yet, Djokovic’s resolve held firm, rooted in a deeply personal stance about his body and his autonomy.
What makes this reflection so compelling is Ivanisevic’s hindsight. Years after the chaos of Melbourne, with debates about vaccines evolving and new questions emerging about their long-term impact, he suggests Djokovic’s choice might have been prescient. “Now we discuss these vaccines, and we’re told some of them caused problems,” he mused, hinting at a shift in perspective. “We were locked up like sheep for three years and manipulated.” It’s a bold claim, one that casts Djokovic not as a pariah but as a trailblazer who dared to resist a tidal wave of pressure. Ivanisevic sees it as a testament to his character—a man who, unlike others, never bent to the prevailing winds.
Djokovic’s stance wasn’t about preaching, Ivanisevic insists. “He never told anyone not to get vaccinated,” he clarified. “He never told us not to—he organized a tournament in Belgrade, helped other players get vaccinated, but he didn’t do it himself.” That nuance often got lost in the noise, drowned out by the fury of those who saw his refusal as a betrayal of public health. Yet, for Ivanisevic, it’s precisely this individuality that elevates Djokovic above his rivals—Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal included—in the endless debate over tennis’s greatest of all time. “Federer plays the most beautiful tennis,” he said, “and Rafa is a fighter who’d leave his life on the court. But Djokovic is the most complete, the best ever.”
Their partnership, which spanned from 2019 to 2024, was a rollercoaster of triumphs and trials. Ivanisevic joined Djokovic’s team initially alongside Marian Vajda, bringing a fiery Balkan spirit and a knack for sharpening the Serb’s already lethal serve. Together, they weathered the pandemic’s chaos, navigated travel bans, and notched a dozen more major finals, with nine ending in victory. But the vaccine saga tested them like nothing else. “It wasn’t easy being his coach in that moment,” Ivanisevic admitted. “Everywhere we went, people looked at him like a villain.” Yet, through it all, he stood ready to defend Djokovic—figuratively and, he once quipped, even to the point of dying for him.
Now, as Djokovic prepares for the 2025 clay season under new guidance from Andy Murray, Ivanisevic’s reflections offer a window into the mind of a champion who’s faced more than just opponents across the net. At 37, Djokovic shows no signs of slowing down, his hunger for titles undimmed. But this story—of a man willing to sacrifice everything for his principles—adds a layer of complexity to his legacy. “He says what he thinks, what others won’t,” Ivanisevic noted, a nod to Djokovic’s unfiltered honesty. “It hurts people, but it’s the truth.”
As the tennis world watches his next move, Ivanisevic’s words linger: a tribute to a player who didn’t just rewrite records but redefined what it means to stand alone. Whether you see him as a hero or a heretic, one thing is clear—Djokovic’s career-altering decision was a gamble that paid off, keeping him at the summit while others faltered. And in Ivanisevic’s eyes, that’s the mark of a true legend.
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