Djokovic makes intentions clear with two big moves ahead of Aus Open | Tennis | Sport
Novak Djokovic will turn 39 next season, but the Serbian superstar is showing no signs of slowing down. Djokovic has already admitted that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get his body to a place where he can sustain a top level against the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner for hours in matches. But he’s now hired a new coach who can help him with just that.
The world No. 4 has enlisted the help of Mark Kovacs, a performance expert and biomechanics specialist who previously worked with the likes of Coco Gauff, Madison Keys, and John Isner. Djokovic has already been spotted training with Kovacs in his new home of Athens, Greece, as he gears up for the 2026 season.
The American will be able to help Djokovic with sports science, injury prevention and recovery, and his physical conditioning. He’s also been dubbed as something of a serve guru, helping players learn about the mechanics of the serve.
The 38-year-old might be getting towards the latter stages of his career, but he’s as keen as ever to find solutions to manage his body and keep competing at the top of the game for as long as possible.
And Djokovic has also added to his 2026 calendar, signing up for the Adelaide International to get some matches under his belt ahead of the Australian Open. The ATP 250 event runs from January 12 to 17, right up until the first Grand Slam tournament of the year gets underway on January 18.
Djokovic is a two-time former champion in Adelaide, and his decision to play the week before the Australian Open is a promising sign that he believes his body can withstand three weeks of competition.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has been increasingly selective with his schedule in recent years, but wants to put himself in the best position possible for the Australian Open, ensuring he can play some extra matches to start the 2026 season instead of going in undercooked.
In 2025, Djokovic started the season at the Brisbane International, where he entered both the singles draw and the doubles event alongside Nick Kyrgios. He reached the quarter-final in singles before suffering a shock defeat to then-world No. 293 Reilly Opelka. Djokovic and Kyrgios also reached the second round in doubles.
While Djokovic will be busy in Adelaide ahead of the Aussie Open, Alcaraz and Sinner – arguably his biggest rivals nowadays – won’t be playing any warm-up tournaments before the first Major of 2026.
