Novak Djokovic and Andre Agassi have ended their brief and unsuccessful player-coach relationship. Agassi made the announcement this weekend following troublesome trips for Djokovic to back-to-back Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami.
“With only the best intentions I tried to help Novak,” the 47-year-old American said in a statement released by ESPN. “We far too often found ourselves agreeing to disagree. I wish him only the best moving forward.”
Djokovic has not been at his best for more than a year. The former world No. 1 began his partnership with Agassi at last year’s French Open, where he got clobbered by Dominic Thiem in the quarterfinals. Djokovic kicked off his grass-court campaign with a title in Eastbourne but retired in the Wimbledon quarterfinals against Tomas Berdych due to an elbow injury and did not play again in 2017.
The 30-year-old Serb has looked far from 100 percent during his 2018 comeback, which includes a three-match losing streak on the heels of three early-round wins at the Australian Open. Djokovic fell to Hyeon Chung in straight sets in Melbourne, lost his Indian Wells opener to Taro Daniel, and fell right away in Miami in unceremonious 6-3, 6-4 fashion to Benoit Paire.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion expressed skepticism that he will begin his clay-court swing in Monte-Carlo, which had previously been the plan.
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