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Novak Djokovic's dwindling form is a never-dying subject of discussion among the members of the tennis world. Djokovic is on a 3-match losing run and has been ousted from the top 5 of the ATP rankings. Adding to the continuous flow of reactions on the inconsistency in Djokovic's performance is Naomi Osaka's coach, Patrick Mouratoglou.
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Novak Djokovic blasted by Naomi Osaka's coach
Paying heed to Djokovic's showing in the Madrid Open, Mouratoglou concluded that the 37-year-old is lacking motivation. The Serb suffered a devastating loss in straight sets to Matteo Arnaldi in the opening round of the tournament.
"I was very surprised to see Novak play like that in Monte Carlo and then again in Madrid," said Mouratoglou.
"For a guy like him, if he doesn’t feel like playing, if he doesn’t have the motivation, I don’t think he should play because he didn’t even look like he was trying to win.
Patrick was baffled over why Djokovic decided to compete when he was not physically fit.
"I am not saying he is not able to play better, he is for sure able to play much better, but I felt like he was not prepared physically.
"I mean, tennis-wise, physically, for those tournaments because he doesn’t have the motivation, and no judgment there.
"But the question is, why did he play then? I don’t understand.
"Motivation is a big thing for him, it’s all about it, and I’ve been saying that now for quite a long time."
Djokovic has opted out of the Rome Open and may directly return to Roland Garros, which is scheduled to begin on May 25, 2025. It should be noted that Novak Djokovic is searching for the record 25th Grand Slam and 100th title overall. Considering he is still playing at a high level, one can expect him to attain the milestone soon.
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