Radek Stepanek Officially Joins Team Djokovic

[scoop]

By Scoop Malinowski

Crafty Czech Republic tennis legend Radek Stepanek has officially joined forces with former ATP World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

“Its official, I’m honored to be a new member of Novak’s team,” the recently retired Stepanek said on his Instagram account. “It is a new and exciting challenge for me, which I’m looking forward to and I believe that as a team we can help Nole to reach his goals. As longtime friends off the tennis court, I believe that our friendship and similar views will translate onto the court as well and we will share some memorable moments together. so lets get to work IDEMO @djokernole.”

It will be interesting to see if the gamesmanship and trickery aspects of Stepanek’s arsenal will translate into Djokovic’s game and if Djokovic can revert back to the ruthless cutthroat super champion he was before 2016.

It’s hard to imagine a tenacious gladiator like Stepanek allowing Djokovic to continue his “love and peace” court demeanor which many pundits feel contributed to his mediocre results, along with alleged distracting personal issues regarding infidelity with his wife.

Stepanek does seem to be an appropriate choice to rejuvenate Djokovic’s vicious, ruthless nature on court, which has been mysteriously absent for most of the last two years. Stepanek was respected as a tremendous competitor, mentored by Aussie Open champion and former world no. 2 Petr Korda, to overcome early career failures to eventually develop into a top ten player, doubles Grand Slam champion, and two-time Davis Cup winning hero.

Stepanek surely has a plan of attack to restore Djokovic’s lost aura of invincibility which shocked and awed the tennis world from 2011-2015.

(Djokovic art by Andres Bella.)

 

[Front242]

I'd say look forward to more infidelity in the future with Stepanek as his coach lol. They'll be out clubbing for hoes on a day-lee

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Front I didn't think that will be possible as the wife is now aware and alert of her husband's tendencies and she will have the leash on. Would be surprised if that Peace and love guru Pepe Imaz is still allowed to preach his dreary dogma which hardly inspired Djokovic's results.

 

[Front242]

Novak Jock-Oh-Itch

 

[the AntiPusher]

I'd say look forward to more infidelity in the future with Stepanek as his coach lol. They'll be out clubbing for hoes on a day-lee

I imagine Novak was doing a lot of clubbing with Boris

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

The joining forces of Djokopanek is interesting for several reasons and especially for me, because Novak and Kyrgios have bad blood based on some incident one night at a hotel party and you could sense the tension in their last two singles matches both won by Nick. Nick and Step are friendly now but they had a bump incident at Roland Garros when Nick was a teen and Nick won in straight sets. Surely Step must have some ideas on how to slay Fed, Murray, Rafa, etc.

 

[Front242]

He'll hopefully make him s&v a bit more and mix things up better. Become more unpredictable and hopefully work on improving his godawful overheads.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Hiring Stepanek does not bode well for Agassi being around long term. Could easily see Agassi becoming the odd man out by June.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I believe Agassi is still on team. But, is going to travel only for GS and some other important and convenient events. Radek will be day to day coach.

Is Martin Vajda, still there; I guess he is not.

 

[Moxie]

I believe Agassi is still on team. But, is going to travel only for GS and some other important and convenient events. Radek will be day to day coach.

Is Martin Vajda, still there; I guess he is not.

This is what I read, re: Stepanek and Agassi. And I think Vajda is long gone, as of like last Feb. I don't guess he's coming back. He has a new physio, too. An Italian.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

I asked Poppa Kozlov if Agassi helped Stefan when Stefan was in Vegas for the Challenger, which he won, and he wouldn't confirm or deny, instead he asked me to ask Agassi himself. Kozlov was ripping forehands and won the title that week in Vegas, beating Broady in the final. So maybe Agassi feels on shaky ground with Djokovic? Djokovic hasn't said anything about Agassi lately and I don't think Agassi has been in Monte Carlo working hands on with Djokovic.

 

[Fiero425]

Looked up Qatar event & it looks as if Nole will give it a go! Funny seeing him #3 seed behind Thiem and PCB!

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Djokovic working with Step and Agassi this week. So Agassi is involved. Expect Djokovic to come out of the gate next year with a vengeance.

 

[Moxie]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Djokovic working with Step and Agassi this week. So Agassi is involved. Expect Djokovic to come out of the gate next year with a vengeance.

It's going to be very interesting to see how he comes out, indeed.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

You get the sense the obsession is back with Djokovic and he knows this could be the last push, his age over 30, the body could be breaking down after so much physical long points, long matches, many matches from having won so many titles. The NEXT GEN are coming strong. Djokovic has been crushed by Kyrgios and Thiem. The aura is gone but you get the sense Djokovic has been working his you know what off to be at his best again, and now what remains to be seen is if his best is enough to dominate the sport again. Agassi and Step both have their best success after 30 so they are perfect choices to be helping Djokovic at this stage.

 

[Moxie]

Stepanek and Agassi could make a good team. But I'll wait to see if Djokovic's obsession is back until he shows it, himself.

 

[Fiero425]

Stepanek and Agassi could make a good team. But I'll wait to see if Djokovic's obsession is back until he shows it, himself.

After achieving his NOLE-Slam and having another kid, maybe he lost it! I hope he can come back as strong as Fedal by taking back ownership of AO! It's one of Agassi's fave major so it should be a good barometer of where his head is at when he finally gets back on the tour! Looking forward to seeing him in Qatar!

 

[Moxie]

After achieving his NOLE-Slam and having another kid, maybe he lost it! I hope he can come back as strong as Fedal by taking back ownership of AO! It's one of Agassi's fave major so it should be a good barometer of where his head is at when he finally gets back on the tour! Looking forward to seeing him in Qatar!

It's clear that Novak lost a bit of motivation, for whatever reasons, and there seem to be a lot of them. I think that the AO is too close to see him back to full-force, but, hey, no one would have guessed that Federer and Nadal would have been top of their games by the AO last year, either. I think it will be a very interesting Oz Open, for many reasons.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Djokovic having both Agassi and Stepanek on the practice court already in early January shows he's dead serious. For Agassi to go all the way from Vegas to Monte Carlo on the first Day of December speaks volumes. It shows Djokovic wants him there and it shows Agassi cares and wants to be there. Every minute, every details counts. Djokovic is clearly sending a very clear message to everyone: I'm all in for 2017 and I will do everything humanly possible to dominate and destroy like I did for three years.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Andrew; I have personally given copies of Facing Federer to Kyrgios and Thiem. Did they read it, not sure. But yes I agree I think it would help any and every player, on the tour or at the park. No one will ever understand why the Fantastic Four (or Five) were able to do what they did, it was a unique era and we are all lucky to have witnessed it.