"I see a person like my wife Steffi Graf, who doesn’t need applause" - When Andre Agassi felt Djokovic saw Federer & Nadal's success as a 'blessing'
Andre Agassi once bestowed a major compliment on Novak Djokovic, comparing the Serb to his wife, tennis legend Steffi Graf. Agassi also shed light on Djokovic's mindset regarding his arch-rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic ended his 11-year partnership with longtime coach Marian Vajda in 2017. Following their split, the Serb sought Agassi's expertise for his campaign at the French Open and later made the decision to hire the American as his head coach.
In a 2017 interview with Inside Tennis, Andre Agassi shared his perspective on Novak Djokovic's mentality about competing alongside two of the sport's greatest champions, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The American likened Djokovic to his wife Steffi Graf, highlighting that the Serb wasn't driven by the need for applause but by a desire to beat the best.
Agassi suggested that Djokovic viewed Federer and Nadal's exceptional success as a "blessing" because it set a standard of excellence he could aim to surpass.
"What I see is a person who wants to beat everybody’s best. I see a person a bit like my wife [Steffi Graf], who doesn’t need the applause. He’s somebody who needs to push himself," Andre Agassi said.
"My guess is that he sees it [Roger and Rafa] as a blessing, an opportunity, a gift to have such barometers of excellence because he feels he can cover it, and I think he’s probably right," he added.
The eight-time Grand Slam champion lavished praise on Novak Djokovic's intellect and heart, emphasizing that the Serb had a "champion's mind." Describing his protege as a "perfectionist," Andre Agassi also disclosed how he chose his words carefully to effectively communicate with the Serb.
"Here’s what I can say – the only thing that outmatches his intellect is his heart. He is a champion because he values heart, he has a champion’s mind, he is a seeker, he’s a person who is a perfectionist. Every perfectionist is tortured," he said.
"He has less awareness of how tortured he is because he’s that strong intellectually and emotionally. We share what can be shared. I have lived and learned 17 years longer than him, so as a result I choose wisely and choose my words carefully because he values them," he added.
Andre Agassi on his split with Novak Djokovic: "You get to a point where if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem"
Novak Djokovic and Andre Agassi's coaching partnership only lasted a year with the duo parting ways in April 2018. In an interview with The Guardian that year, Agassi disclosed that the Serb needed to have ownership over his own process, which caused friction due to their differing opinions on training and nutrition.
"He’s just that kind of guy – he needs ownership over his own process. So if he’s not having the energy or the strength, that’s something he’ll figure out on his own. I’ve always believed in strength training. I’ve always believed in eating a healthy range and a quantity of protein. But for years, he did it his own way," Andre Agassi said.
The American also elaborated on the reasons behind their split, admitting that he felt he was becoming part of the problem as he and Djokovic found themselves at odds with each other too often.
"You get to a point where if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. We agreed to disagree far too often for me to feel like I was helping him, and I cared too much about him to just watch him go through something I felt I could help him with," he added.
Andre Agassi witnessed Novak Djokovic in action at the 2024 Australian Open, expressing his admiration for the Serb's record-breaking achievements. The American playfully remarked that the 24-time Grand Slam champion just "needed to be away from him for a few years" to reach such heights.