Eight-time major winner Andre Agassi said it may be emotionally difficult for Novak Djokovic now that his great rivals have retired but warned not to correct him.
At 37, Djokovic is also at the business end of his career, and has recently seen the retirement of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray – once the Big Four. Agassi cited an experience in his career where he faced the retirement of his great rival Pete Sampras.
“He’s already done so much, so long, and it’s hard to imagine this long. I think he’s going to exhaust the energy for it more than he can, I imagine,” Agassi said at an event in Bengaluru, according to PTI.
“It can’t be easy, especially when the people who came to dance with you have left,” Agassi said. “When Pete (Sampras) retired, it was a shock for me. It set me back a little bit. It made me rediscover my motivations on some level. And he (Djokovic) has lost guys that he’s made history with. . So, it’s going to get tougher and tougher soon, but I’d never bet against him. Bet against him at your own peril.
Coincidentally, after failing to win a major in 2024 (he won Olympic gold), Djokovic has turned to one of his greatest rivals to level. Former world number one Murray has been appointed by Djokovic as his coach.
“They were fierce rivals on the court, and now Murray will coach Djokovic. Well, in any coaching student relationship, you need trust. Trust can take time,” Agassi said. “I think there’s a wealth of history with them as competitors, but any success of the relationship is based on full buy-in.”
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