Tennis champion Novak Djokovic hires Boris Becker as his coach

NOVAK Djokovic's new coach, Boris Becker, may supply the bravado and adventure the Serb needs to reclaim the No.1 world ranking.

"HE'LL have to give up the cigars and the red wine then," a television colleague of Boris Becker's said yesterday.

Actually, knowing Boris, he may just add even more colour to the brilliant pastiche that is international men's tennis and take a box of Padron Serie 1962 and a bottle of Chateau Margaux with him into the players' box at Melbourne Park next month.

With a decision that did have some sober judges struggling to fathom the rationale, Novak Djokovic chose Becker to become his head coach, a logical assumption being that he wants to add a little more bravado and adventure to a game that ruled the roost in 2011 and one that the 26-year-old Serb believes needs a dash more of both for him to do so in 2014.

What he wants to tap into is Becker's innate love of combat, the thrill of pitting one against another and, without a shadow of a doubt, his desire to do for Djokovic what his old foe Ivan Lendl has done for Andy Murray.

The idea that Djokovic might dash from the Centre Court and throw his arms around Becker on winning Wimbledon again is one that gets to the core of the German's character. Was there ever a more dynamic, thrill-seeking champion than Becker?

Djokovic and Becker first talked in an unofficial capacity after the Serb's success in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London last month and from there, an interest in developing the partnership grew. Djokovic did not feel he had done himself justice enough in the grand-slam events this year and that he had met someone who could bring more out of him.

"He [Becker] is a true legend, someone who has great tennis knowledge and his experience will help me win new trophies from the grand slams and other tournaments," Djokovic said. "He is a great person, too, and I am sure he will fit in our team in the best possible way.

"Boris brings a fresh approach, and together with Marian Vajda [Djokovic's coach, who will take on a more part-time role] will make a winning combination. My goal for 2014 is to play my best tennis and to get in shape for the slams and Masters 1000s. These tournaments have the most weight, and I want to prove my worth there. The team is now strengthened and we hope for maximum results."

The dry spell for tennis is officially over.

Thanks for all the best wishes for @DjokerNole and @TheBorisBecker regarding our new partnership !!!! Let's get started........

— Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) December 18, 2013

The ATP World Tour starts in ten days' time in Doha, Chennai and Brisbane, and the fascination with those inside the coaching ropes will be as never before. Two years on, Murray and Lendl are a tight unit, the coach saying last night that he is delighted where the Wimbledon champion is with his rehabilitation from his back operation in October.

Expect Murray to emerge in strong mode.

In the space of the past three weeks, Richard Gasquet has appointed Sergi Bruguera, the former French Open champion, as his coach; Kei Nishikori, of Japan, has turned to Michael Chang, who also won at Roland Garros, and now Djokovic takes on "Boom Boom".

The French Open has so far remained elusive for the Serb in nine attempts, the same number of "failures" as Becker experienced. Clearly, Djokovic has not employed Becker to pick his brains about how to master the clay.

Everyone wants an edge and if Becker, a six-time grand-slam winner, does not have coaching qualifications to speak of, he has experienced many things in his career that no one can come close to replicating.

In the past Djokovic attempted the fresh-voice ploy with Todd Martin, Mark Woodforde and, for the US Open three months ago, felt that Wojtek Fibak might be the answer. Every time he went back to Vajda, his long-time coach, who is taking a step back but will be in the corner when the head coach requires a breather. Becker, after all, has four children, ages ranging from 19 to nearly three and they represent an enormous responsibility. But, like so many, he misses the day-to-day vitality of the tour.

He could not be returning at a more vibrant time. Djokovic is a mere 770 ranking points behind Rafael Nadal, the world No 1, and is attempting to land a fourth consecutive Australian Open title next month.

Yesterday, controversially, the ITF decided Djokovic had done more in 2013 in terms of results including their prized Davis Cup competition in which Serbia reached the final, to merit being acclaimed "world champion" ahead of Nadal, whose return to the tour after seven months with knee tendinitis, delivered 10 titles including two grand-slam titles, the French Open for an eighth time and the US Open for a second.

In both tournaments, he defeated Djokovic.

The ITF got that one horribly wrong. Nadal is quietly seething. He will be in some mood in Melbourne.

The Times