Boris Becker finally broke his silence following Novak Djokovic's decision to part ways with him last week. The German tennis legend confirmed the decision to end their working relationship was mutual, though he has something to say with the Serb's much publicized on-court struggle during the second half of the season.
Djokovic's Diminishing Work Ethic?
Becker reveals Djokovic has gone a bit lazy on practice the last six months, which resulted to sudden drop of the level of play he usually had in his arsenal.
After dominating the first half of the season with highlight victories at the Australian Open and French Open, Djokovic's performance dipped in the second half, bowing out early at Wimbledon and Rio Olympics before coming up short at the US Open championship.
"It was mutual. A decision like this does not happen overnight. It is a progress. I think the last six months have been challenging on many levels. Our hands were tied a little bit because we couldn't do the work we wanted to do," Becker told reporters via ESPN.
He didn't spend as much time on the practice court in the last six months as he should have and he knows that. Success like this doesn't happen by pushing a button. Success like this doesn't just happen by showing up at a tournament. You have to work your bottom off because the opposition does the same."
Is it Me or Imaz?
There were reports of turmoil within Djokovic's coaching team even before his decision to fire Becker. According to German Magazine Sports Blid via Tennis Tonic, Becker and Marian Vajda gave Djokovic ultimate whether to choose his coaching team or Pepe Imaz, the Spanish spiritual guru the Serb sought help to stabilize his emotional aspect of his game.
Sources close to situation disclosed Becker is a bit uncomfortable with the Spiritual guru around, prompting him to give Djokovic such choice.