No Justification: Renowned Coach Claims Novak Djokovic ‘Shouldn’t Compete’

Patrick Mouratoglou, who coached Naomi Osaka and has a decade-long history with Serena Williams, as well as experience with top male players such as Stefanos Tsitsipas, has expressed that Novak Djokovic “shouldn’t even be competing” and raised questions about the Serbian star’s commitment amid a challenging three-match losing streak.

This season has been tough for Djokovic, who has an unusual win/loss record of 12-6. He has dropped his last three encounters, losing at the Miami Open, the Monte Carlo Masters, and the Madrid Open.

After his defeat to Matteo Arnaldi, with a score of 6-3, 6-4 in Madrid, Djokovic commented: “This feels completely different compared to the 20-plus years I’ve spent in professional tennis.”

“Mentally, it’s a real challenge to confront these sensations on court and consistently exit tournaments early now.”

Following his Madird exit, Djokovic withdrew from the Italian Open, casting further uncertainty on his readiness for Roland Garros as he continues to pursue a record 25th Grand Slam title and his 100th tournament victory overall.

The world No. 6 hasn’t lifted an ATP trophy since his victory at the Tour Finals in late 2023.

Mouratoglou was straightforward in his assessment of Djokovic’s recent performance, expressing concerns about the 37-year-old’s fitness and questioning his dedication to the sport.

“I was taken aback by his play in Monte Carlo and Madrid,” Mouratoglou noted.

“For someone of his calibre, if he lacks motivation, perhaps he shouldn’t be participating at all, as it appeared he wasn’t truly striving for a win.”

“I’m not implying he lacks the ability to perform better—he absolutely can—but it seems he’s not physically prepared. Physically and tennis-wise, he just doesn’t seem ready for these types of tournaments, especially given the absence of motivation.”

“One has to wonder, why did he even enter these events? I find it perplexing. Motivation holds significant importance for him; it’s central to his success, and I’ve stressed this for some time.”

Despite having held the No. 1 ranking longer than any other player, Djokovic currently sits at No. 6.

His lone title in 2024 or 2025 was the gold medal won by defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the Paris Olympics last August.

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“After a fantastic 2023, he has certainly not met the standards set last season, bar the Olympics,” Mouratoglou continued.

“He clearly requires a singular focus. The question is whether he can afford to skip matches and still prepare adequately for the Grand Slams? Nothing can truly replicate the experience of match play.”

“He doesn’t need to compete excessively, but he should engage in enough matches to cultivate the right mindset. Expecting everything to suddenly click at a Grand Slam is a substantial risk. I genuinely question his choice to not participate in the Italian Open.”

Djokovic has consistently emphasised that his primary goal is to add to his Grand Slam achievements. The French Open is set to commence on May 25.

Last year, he had to withdraw from Roland Garros due to a knee injury that necessitated surgery, and he also had to retire from the Australian Open in January due to a torn hamstring.