Miomir Kecmanović’s New Chapter: Hard Work, Resilience, and a Fresh Perspective
The Serb won the Delray Beach Open to lift his second ATP Tour title at the age of 25
CHRYSLENE CAILLAUD/Panoramic
“Guys, I’m keeping this up until Wimbledon, and if it doesn’t pay off, I’m done!” Miomir Kecmanović joked with the Serbian press at the Australian Open, referring to his revamped fitness and dietary regime.
It was one of the key changes he implemented during the off-season in an effort to fulfil his potential and make a push towards the Top 20. Three months later, he captured his second career title in Delray Beach defeating Borna Gojo, Yoshihito Nishioka (via walkover), Marcos Giron, Alex Michelsen, and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina along the way.
At the end of the 2024 season, Kecmanović brought in a new coach—Viktor Troicki, Serbia’s Davis Cup captain and former coach of his compatriot Hamad Medjedovic. According to people close to Kecmanović, he and Troicki clicked right away, in part because they had known each other for years.
The foundation for his transformation was laid in Dubai, where experienced fitness coach Vlade Kaplarević took charge of his physical conditioning once again. Fitness has been a recurring challenge for Kecmanović, but this time, he fully committed to the process.
“He’s done absolutely everything we set out to do; he’s been extremely dedicated,” Troicki said in January.
Those following Kecmanović closely immediately noticed his improved physique, but there was another significant change—a revamped service motion.
“I didn’t like his previous motion at all,” Troicki admitted. “He was leaning back with his head and lacked a smooth kinetic chain, meaning he wasn’t maximizing his serve’s potential.”
Troicki detailed the adjustments: “Now, before serving, he brings one leg to the other, and his ball toss and his body are more towards the inside—just like the great servers do.”
It’s still a work in progress, but after two months of the new season, the changes have already paid off. Kecmanović has increased his first-serve speed and is using angles with greater precision.
Rediscovering Aggression
Another key focus has been Kecmanović’s approach in rallies. He is at his best when playing with intent staying close to the baseline and dictating play from inside the court. He displayed this aggressive mindset particularly well in 2022 under David Nalbandian’s guidance, when he reached back-to-back quarter-finals in Indian Wells and Miami, pushing Carlos Alcaraz to the brink in a thrilling 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(5) loss.
Kecmanović reached a career-high ranking of No. 27 in January 2023, but struggled to sustain his aggressive game. Too often, he defaulted to a passive style, merely keeping the ball in play – a strategy that made matches unnecessarily difficult.
“Yes, when he settles in, it seems like he’s content with where he is and starts playing it safe,”Troicki observed.
“Unfortunately, that’s not enough. Against the best players in the world, you have to take away their weapons and finish them off. I’m convinced that Misha (Kecmanović’s nickname) can do that. His return, for instance, is exceptional—one of the best on Tour.”
Signs of Progress
Kecmanović’s season began with a first-round loss to eventual champion Alexandre Muller in Hong Kong. In Adelaide, he defeated Alexander Bublik, Christopher O’Connell, and Benjamin Bonzi before falling in a high-quality semi-final against Sebastian Korda, 6-3, 7-6(4). Despite the loss, optimism was growing within his team.
At the Australian Open, he started strong, defeating Dušan Lajović before delivering a near-flawless performance against 18th seed Hubert Hurkacz, winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. In the third round, he had Holger Rune on the ropes, leading two sets to one and 4-2, 30-0 in the fourth. But the Dane mounted an improbable comeback, leaving Kecmanović devastated.
“At one point, he semi-tanked—just started swinging for the fences out of desperation, and everything went in,” an emotional Kecmanović told Serbian media just ten minutes after the match.
There were mild concerns that the disappointment might lead him back to bad eating habits, but instead, he doubled down on his work. After all, there were plenty of positives to take from his Australian campaign.
“One thing’s for sure—I’ve got more confidence. The things we’ve been working on are really clicking for me,” Kecmanović reflected.
“I feel like my toolbox is deeper. If something isn’t working, I have a backup plan. In the past, I sometimes didn’t know what to do when Plan A wasn’t working.”
In the Davis Cup, Kecmanović wasn’t at his best—he beat Elmer Møller but lost convincingly to Rune. In Dallas, he played an excellent match against Denis Shapovalov in the first round, losing a tough three-setter. Shapovalov went on to win the title days later.
The Key to Success: Consistency
One of Troicki’s main messages to Kecmanović has been the importance of consistency—not just in matches, but in every aspect of his career.
“He needs to keep believing in his work and stay consistent—not for a month, not for six months, but for the rest of his career. That’s the key to success—not relaxing just because things are going well,” Troicki emphasized.
“If he keeps this hunger and mindset, he can beat anyone. I wouldn’t be working with him if I didn’t believe he could be even better than when he reached his career-high ranking.”
A testament to his resilience and improved fitness, Kecmanović fought back from 2-5 down, saving two championship points to defeat Davidovich Fokina in the Delray Beach final. Just a few hours later, he went on to win the doubles title as well. Next up for Kecmanović are the Mexican Open in Acapulco and the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells and Miami).
“We’ve had a couple conversations before he went to the USA, mostly about his approach and attitude,” said Troicki.
“Last year, he lost the plot following the Davis Cup loss to Slovakia and it took him a lot of time to find his rhythm again. That’s why we had the talk in the first place, I told him that he’s playing well and that the results will come, that he needs to keep believing.
“Against Davidovich Fokina that was crucial – belief. The next step is to keep going strongly and for Miomir to make further progress”.
As of Monday, Kecmanović is ranked No. 42, but this feels like just the beginning. The 25-year-old from Belgrade appears more determined than ever to embrace the road ahead. Let’s see where it takes him.
