"Sounds Novak Djokovic's about to retire";"What Simona Halep did before her contamination" - Fans react to Serb's split with longtime fitness coach

Novak Djokovic recently parted ways with his longtime fitness coach Marco Panichi and several fans gave their thoughts on it.

The Serb's decision comes just weeks after he split with his coach Goran Ivanisevic after six years together.

"Grande Marco, what amazing years of collaboration we’ve had. We reached the summit, won titles, broken records. But most of all, I have enjoyed our most “ordinary” days of training in and out of the gym," Djokovic wrote on Instagram.

"Endless hours of “carciofini” and laughs that made me feel super motivated to prepare for success. Grazie Romanista (as Goran calls you) for all the energy, effort and time you invested in making me the best possible player and person I can be," he added.

Djokovic splitting with another member of his coaching staff got the attention of several fans and many took to social media to give their two cents on the situation.

A few fans spoke about the possibility of the Serb retiring, with one saying that going out on top was the best way for him to bid farewell to tennis

"Sounds like he’s about to retire. This is the best way, going out on top. I prefer this than seeing him dropping low in rankings and fighting injuries," the fan said.

Another fan spoke about the Serb's retirement while giving the example of Simona Halep changing her coaching staff before her doping controversy.

"Really scared for him. This is what Halep did before her crap contamination. I think he is retiring, but what a crappy way to do it," the fan said.

One fan said that Djokovic would retire in 2025 and that he wanted to graciously put his team "out of their misery".

"Has to be retiring next season or sumn… and wants to graciously put them out of their misery before time…. Interesting… but a master strategist so let’s see if it’s sumn larger and better at play," the fan commented.

Here are some more fan reactions to the Serb parting ways with his longtime fitness coach.

"Nole sacking people left right and centre," a fan wrote.

"Oh he's splitting up with his career next...," another fan commented.

"He’s making a last push to retire at the 2028 Olympics," a fan said.

"I didn't feel like I could help Novak Djokovic anymore" - Goran Ivanisevic on split with Serb

Novak Djokovic at the Laureus Awards in 2024

Goran Ivanisevic spoke about his split with Novak Djokovic shortly after it happened. The Croat told Sport Klub that while there wasn't a "real" reason behind them parting ways, there was a "sense of fatigue" after a "difficult" period of five years together.

"I mean, there isn’t really a “real” reason (for the split). One reason is indeed a sense of saturation/fatigue, this really was a difficult and intense five years," Ivanisevic told Sport Klub as quoted by Tennis Majors.

Speaking about "material fatigue", Ivanisevic said that he and Djokovic became tired of one another. The Croat also said that he did not feel he had anything else to offer in terms of helping the World No. 1.

"So yes, we reached a certain level of saturation, as I like to say: 'material fatigue'. Basically I became tired of him, he became tired of me; in any case I didn’t feel like I could help him anymore," the former World No. 2 said.

Djokovic has so far competed in just one clay-court event, the Monte-Carlo Masters. He reached the semifinals of the Masters 1000 event with wins over Roman Safiullin, Lorenzo Musetti, and 11th seed Alex de Minaur before losing 4-6, 6-1, 4-6 to eventual runner-up Casper Ruud.

The Serb withdrew from the Madrid Open and is next scheduled to compete at the Italian Open in Rome, as he is on the tournament's entry list.