Novak Djokovic’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic has appeared to suggest that Carlos Alcaraz was lucky to win the Wimbledon final in 2023.
The young Spaniard toppled Djokovic in a five-set thriller in the Championship match at SW19 last year to register his second Grand Slam men’s singles title.
The clash was packed with controversial moments with Djokovic cupping his ear and goading the crowd on Centre Court after facing loud boos at various points.
The 24-time major champion also blew sarcastic kisses to the crowd, shouted at the umpire and smashed his racket against the net post which left a dent.
Alcaraz won 1-6 7-6 6-1 3-6 6-4 to end Djokovic’s remarkable run of 45 straight wins on Centre Court and deny the Serbian a fifth successive Wimbledon trophy.
Ivanisevic, though, who recently parted ways with Djokovic, feels the final could have gone a very different way were it not for ‘one or two points’ at key moments.
‘Of course, all congratulations to [Carlos] Alcaraz,’ Ivanisevic told Sport Klub, while he has also fired a warning to whoever becomes Djokovic’s new tennis coach.
‘At the end of the day he was the better player, but one or two points here and there it could have easily turned out different.’
Djokovic recently ended a six-year stint with Ivanisevic and is seeking his next coach, with reports in Serbia suggesting Andy Murray’s mum is an option.
Ivanisevic helped Djokovic double his total of Grand Slam singles titles to 24 but the pair clashed at several points in the latter stages of their time together.
‘I became tired of him, he became tired of me; in any case I didn’t feel like I could help him anymore,’ Ivanisevic added.
‘Even so, when we add it all up together, we achieved great things for ourselves and for tennis.’
Djokovic suffered one of the most shocking defeats of his entire career in his last match as he was stunned by No.123 Luca Nardi at Indian Wells in March.
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