"People think my job with Novak Djokovic is easy, but it is not" - Coach Goran Ivanisevic

Ahead of his official induction into the Tennis Hall of Fame, Goran Ivanisevic claimed in an interview with Tennis.com that coaching Novak Djokovic is anything but an 'easy' job.

Djokovic recently lifted his sixth Wimbledon trophy - and 20th Slam overall - to go level with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for most Majors won by a male player. A month before that, the 34-year-old won the Roland Garros title to become the first player in the Open Era to accomplish the Double Career Grand Slam (winning all four Majors at least twice).

But despite Djokovic's all-court game that yields dividends on all surfaces, Ivanisevic pointed out that coaching him has some unique challenges. At the same time, the Croat asserted that working with a consummate professional like Djokovic is a pleasure.

"People think my job with Novak is easy, but it is not," Ivanisevic said. "I give you my job for one week, and you see if you are going to give me back my job or not. It is great to work with such a great athlete and player, but very demanding also."

Ivanisevic further claimed Djokovic's coaching team has to ensure that he plays well enough to win Majors, and that merely reaching finals wasn't enough. The Croat considers this a stressful but nonetheless an enjoyable proposition.

"A final is not good enough," Ivanisevic said. "You need to win. We only count victories. We only count Slams. That is huge stress. But I choose that. I love it. It pushes me to learn more and be a better coach and a better person. I really enjoy it."

Explaining the unique challenges associated with coaching Novak Djokovic, Goran Ivanisevic highlighted how he needs to present the right information that would help the World No. 1 constantly evolve his game.

"If I put a million pieces of information in front of Novak, then that can be frustrating and he can lose himself," Ivanisevic said. "Novak is a perfectionist. What was good today is not good tomorrow. So you have to always find a a way to be better every day."

"Statistics can work and I can adjust to that, but I do it in my own way in how I explain things to Novak," the Croat added. "So far it is working fine. We have a really good relationship, and we understand each other well.”

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"To understand Balkan people you need to be from Balkan" - Goran Ivanisevic on his unique relationship with Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic with his Wimbledon 2021 trophy.

Goran Ivanisevic, a former Wimbledon champion, knows exactly what it takes to excel on the court. Having first enjoyed success as a coach with Marin Cilic at 2014 US Open, Ivanisevic admitted that playing is an easier proposition than coaching.

"It is much easier to be a tennis player than a coach but in the end I will probably be a better coach than I was a tennis player," Ivanisevic said. "I have had the privilege of working with and winning Grand Slams with these players. My first Grand Slam win as a coach, with Cilic at the 2014 US Open, is something I will never forget."

Goran Ivanisevic has since coached Tomas Berdych, Milos Raonic and now Novak Djokovic, the last of whom he calls the 'best player in the game's history'.

"It has been an amazing journey with players like Cilic, Tomas, Milos and now with Novak, who is probably the best player in the history of tennis," Ivanisevic said.

The Croat also believes that a lot of criticism that Novak Djokovic copped at the US Open last year - where he was disqualified for inadvertently hitting a lineswoman - was unfair. Ivanisevic called it an "unfortunate accident" that could have happened with anyone.

"He went through a lot of crap from journalists and everybody," the Croat said. "So much of this was unfair. He had that unfortunate accident at the US Open last year that could happen to anybody."

In that context, Djokovic's victory at the Australian Open earlier this year, despite being visibly injured, made Ivanisevic very happy.

"He (Djokovic) came to Australia and again people were attacking him. Novak needed that victory in Australia badly," Ivanisevic said. "It was so special what he did after the injury."

Goran Ivanisevic also added that the 'Balkan connection' he shares with Novak Djokvoic is something unique, which the Serb doesn't have with Marian Vajda and didn't have with his former coach Boris Becker. Elaborating on that, Ivanisevic claimed that he shares a special chemistry with Djokovic because both of them have the same mother tongue.

"Marian is doing great work still, and Boris I respect a lot as a player and a coach," Ivanisevic said. "But I have to say I have one thing that is easier than the others - Balkan. To understand Balkan people you need to be from Balkan. It is complicated but in the end this makes it easy with Novak and myself because we speak the same language."