"What you did for me and my family privately, I will never forget" - Novak Djokovic pens heartfelt letter to agents after parting ways with them
Novak Djokovic penned an emotional note to his longtime associates Edoardo Artaldi and Elena Cappellaro after parting ways with them.
Djokovic had been with Edoardo since early 2008, when the Serb snagged his first-ever Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.
The World No.1 posted a message of gratitude to Elena and Artaldi on his Instagram account on Tuesday. He specifically thanked the duo for taking care of his wife and children all this while, through the 13 years of their fruitful partnership.
He wrote:
"Dear Elena and Edoardo, it’s difficult to describe everything we have been through together for 13 years of collaboration in one message…My appreciation and love for you two personally goes beyond any professional relationship. What you did for me and my family privately and amount of care and empathy you had all these years especially towards my wife and kids is something very special for me and I will never forget that."
Djokovic further acknowledged the role his managers played in his success on the tour.
"Together, we created history of tennis and reached incredible heights in this sport. Your contribution to the success is vital and I thank you from the bottom of my heart . You will always remain in my heart as dearest friends and part of my family," Djokovic wrote.
The 36-year-old is currently competing in Turin, Italy, at the 2023 ATP Finals. On Sunday, November 12, he set a new record by becoming the year-end No. 1 for the eighth time in his career.
With his three-set victory over Holger Rune on Sunday, Djokovic also became the first tennis player ever to guarantee 400 weeks as the World No. 1.
“I would not go into the reasons for the termination of cooperation; we decided on different paths" - Novak Djokovic on Edoardo and Elena
Novak Djokovic kicked off his 2023 Paris Masters tournament with a two-set triumph over Argentine tennis player Tomas Martin Etcheverry. In his post-match press conference, Djokovic talked about ending his association with his agents Edoardo and Elena. He said that he was entering a new phase in terms of management and approach to things off the court.
“Yes, I changed my managers. Edoardo and Elena were with me for more than ten years, but we no longer work together. Of course, we remained friends, but professionally we decided to go our separate ways. I’m entering a new chapter when it comes to management, but also the whole approach to things off the field,” Djokovic said.
The Serbian star went on to say that the shift was difficult due to his extended collaboration with the team. However, he chose not to divulge the specific cause of their split.
“It’s just the beginning, the transition period is not easy because we worked together for a long time. It will take months to get the new system in place, but we are making progress. I would not go into the reasons for the termination of cooperation – we decided on different paths – concluded the first racket of the world,” he stated.