“Who knows where is the end?” Elated Ivanisevic says Djokovic won’t stop here – updated with Djokovic quotes

Novak Djokovic’s coach had warning words for every other tennis player on tour

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates with his coach, Goran Ivanisevic after winning the final against Norway’s Casper Ruud (AI/Reuters/Panoramic)

Carrie Dunn

June 12, 2023

Coach Goran Ivanisevic was in fits of laughter as Novak Djokovic thanked his team and his family in his victory speech at Roland-Garros on Sunday.

“Behind closed doors, I was really torturing you!” said the newly-crowned 23-time Grand Slam champion.

“He chain us with handcuffs for three days,” smiled Ivanisevic a few hours later in his press conference. “He’s not easy guy, let’s put it this way. He is not easy guy. Especially when something’s not going his way.

“But we are here to put our back and to get beaten, you know. That’s what the team is for. We are here for him to feel better, for him to perform better. Sometimes not easy. Sometimes it’s very complicated.

Words well earned 😁#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/h9bZyvUMDl
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 11, 2023

“But overall, this is for what you live, you know, the tournaments like this, the finishing like this. Was not easy. Was not easy journey. You know how we start in Monte-Carlo, Banja Luka. Rome was a little better but still away from his real form.

“He was torturing us, taking our nails off. A lot of more things but I cannot tell you that. But we are still here, we’re alive. My heart is still okay. I’m old man, I need to be careful of my heart. So he’s okay.”

Ivanisevic: I’m sorry Nadal is not here

And the rest of the tour won’t be happy to see that Ivanisevic thinks the 36-year-old has even more in store.

“I’m really sorry that Rafa is not here, but I say a long time ago before even I became member of his team that him and Rafa, they’re going to go over 22. I am hoping Rafa coming back winning one more, and Novak is only player who can win calendar Grand Slam. He was one match away two years ago, so he has a chance this year.

“But it’s still, you know, long way. But, you know, Grand Slams are the goal. I don’t know how many, but yeah, I think he has in his body a lot more.”

Family Sunday in Paris ❤️ #RolandGarros @DjokerNole pic.twitter.com/yflWjWosO2
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 11, 2023

He added that he occasionally saw Djokovic look a little tired of life on the road, but then saw him replenish his motivation.

“He comes on the court and then you’ll see how he much enjoys to practise, how much he enjoys to hit winners, how much he enjoys little details, to work on little details.

“You know, winning, you know, in front of this unbelievable crowd, unbelievable stadium. So I don’t know how far along, that’s why his body is unbelievable, he’s keeping his body great, he’s in great shape. Thanks God not too many injuries. Little here and there but not major injuries.

“So he’s unbelievable, and he’s still moving like a cat on the court, you know. He’s there. Like Ninja, he’s everywhere.

“So it’s fascinating to see, because sometimes you think, okay, now you have 23. But he’s gonna find, again, some kind of motivation to win 24, maybe 25, who knows where is the end?”

Djokovic himself added similar words in his own press conference: “Of course journey is still not over. I feel, you know, if I’m winning slams, why even think about, you know, ending the career that already has been going on for 20 years?

“So I still feel motivated, I still feel inspired to play the best tennis on these tournaments the most, you know, Grand Slams. Those are the ones that count I guess the most in history of our sport.

“I look forward already to Wimbledon.”