"Goran Ivanisevic did one heck of a job...Novak Djokovic wasn't satisfied" - Chris Evert's ex-husband John Lloyd on Serb's split with ex-coach

Chris Evert's ex-husband and former player John Lloyd recently gave his thoughts on Novak Djokovic's recent split with Goran Ivanisevic.

The 24-time Major winner shocked the tennis universe on Wednesday (March 27) after he decided to part ways with Ivanisevic. The Croat had guided the Serb to nine Major titles since joining his team in March 2019. But while their partnership was fruitful, the 36-year-old has not won any titles in 2024 thus far, which may have contributed to his coach's exit from the team.

Against that background, former World No. 21 John Lloyd was invited by the Tennis Channel for the "Inside-In Podcast" to discuss the reasons behind Novak Djokovic looking for a shake-up in his team three months into the season.

The Brit, who was married to Chris Evert from 1979 to 1987, maintained that even though Goran Ivanisevic helped the Serb achieve some significant achievements in his career, it wasn't enough as the latter feels his place in the pecking order is under threat.

"Well, obviously Goran did one heck of a job to win that nine Slams. Novak wasn't satisfied with that, well. But in some ways, I sort of get it. I saw him at Indian Wells, and he looked like I don't know what's going on with him," John Lloyd said on the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast (12:07). "He pulled out of Miami. He's at this kinda crossroads now, where he still wants to win more, he wants to be the undisputed GOAT, no doubt about that. He wants to win that next one and that next Slam has become a lot tougher than it was before."

The 69-year-old added that Djokovic is in dire need of a "reboot" if he wants to keep winning titles.

"And I think he senses that. And I think he... I don't know who the heck is he gonna choose [as his new coach]?" he added (12:44). "But I think perhaps it was almost like, 'I need something new, I need a different change, a new change of direction. A remotivation, just rebooting.'"

---

"I think this is going to be Novak Djokovic's last big chance to win a Slam this year" - John Lloyd

Novak Djokovic failed to defend his title at the 2024 Australian Open

John Lloyd further insisted on the same podcast with the Tennis Channel that Novak Djokovic perhaps wanted more out of Goran Ivanisevic as far as their coaching situation was concerned. He then claimed that this season would likely be the Serb's last year where he has plausible chances of adding to his Majors tally.

"Relationships do get stale. I've coached a little bit, not much, little bit here and there and I don't know how these guys do it day in and day out," Lloyd said (13:05). "Because you can't always be fresh. So the drills become the same. You can add this, you can add that. And then the talk is the same. You know, how many times can you tell Novak what he's gotta do?"

"I know Novak does a lot of it on his own, but that is a tremendously difficult thing. To get someone in who could refresh... it might be the little nudge that he needs to get over the finishing line," he added (13:27). "Because I do believe he's gotta get over the finishing line this year. I think this is going to be his big chance to win a Slam this year."