"Boris will be the number one coach": When Djokovic changed everything to become unbeatable again

The Djokovic-Becker alliance, born in surprise, marked one of the most impressive periods in the Serb's career.

© CLIVE BRUNSKILL / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

Jules Hypolite

le 17/12/2025 à 21h22

2 min to read

In 2013, a week before Christmas, Novak Djokovic made a big move by announcing the arrival of Boris Becker as his head coach. The news surprised the entire circuit: the German, a six-time Grand Slam winner, had never coached at the highest level.

"Boris will be the number one coach"

Djokovic, however, is categorical: "Boris will be the number one coach." Becker thus takes over from Marian Vajda, his historical mentor, who remains on the staff but sees his role lightened.

At the time, the Serb was coming off a frustrating season: Nadal snatched the world number one spot from him and beat him at Roland-Garros and in the US Open final, Andy Murray defeated him at Wimbledon. Djokovic felt the need for an outside perspective, a fresh voice capable of pushing him mentally in decisive moments.

Absolute domination

The gamble proved to be a winning one. Between 2014 and 2016, the Serb crushed the circuit: six Grand Slam titles, fourteen Masters 1000 events, and two seasons finished as world number one. He also completed the career Grand Slam in 2016 by winning Roland-Garros.

The 2013 offseason will remain a major turning point in his career, the one where Djokovic chose absolute exigency. With Becker, he redefined his relationship with pressure and entered one of the most impressive periods of domination in modern tennis history.

The full dossier available this weekend

Find the dossier "The Offseason, the Time for Choices: Change Coaches or Reinvent Yourself?" on TennisTemple on Saturday, December 20.