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Novak Djokovic still in constant contact with his former team

The world No. 2 is expected to hire a new coach in the coming wee

ByMatt Cronin

Published May 19, 2017

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Novak Djokovic, who says it is likely he will announce a new coach in the coming weeks, is still friendly with his former team, including longtime coach Marian Vajda.

The Serb stopped working with Boris Becker in 2016 following a three-year partnership, and then split with the rest of his team two weeks ago, saying he needed a change because of his poor performances.

“We are still friends, and this kind of private relationship that we have established and nurtured for so many years will not be affected by professional relationship and status,” Djokovic said in Rome. “Of course we all have [a] very close relationship to each other. We speak and we text, and they follow the matches.

"So because we have shared so many beautiful moments in our lifetimes on the tour, but also off the tour—and we have created this very intimate, very family-like relationship—this cannot be broken just because, professionally, we are not working together."

Djokovic has won just two tournaments since winning four majors in a row from Wimbledon 2015 to the 2016 French Open.

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He repeated that he is still on good terms with his team.

“It was [a] mutual decision,” he said. “It was mutual. It was also from their side. And especially Gebhard [Phil-Gritsch], which is my fitness coach, and Marian. Because you have been around for so many years—he's been a player, and then a coach right away after his career for so many years—so it's tiring. It's tiring, you know."

Djokovic will play Juan Martin del Potro in the quarterfinals in Rome on Friday.

Novak Djokovic still in constant contact with his former team

Novak Djokovic still in constant contact with his former team

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