Novak Djokovic: Coach Andre Agassi announces SHOCK news
NOVAK DJOKOVIC has ended his player-coach relationship with Andre Agassi after an apparent clash of personalities.
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That’s according to ESPN Tennis, who reported on Friday night during the Miami Open semi-final between Alexander Zverev and Pablo Carreno Busta that tennis legend Agassi has left Djokovic’s camp after less than a year together.
The American great - an eight-time Grand Slam winner and Olympic gold medallist - only began coaching Djokovic last season ahead of the French Open, ending 11 years away from the sport.
Their part-time partnership was designed to help the Serbian former world No 1 get back to his best as he battled back from injury.
But he won just two titles in 2017 and only went as far as the quarter-finals in the Grand Slams, having won two and lost in the final of a third the previous year.
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With only the best intentions I tried to help Novak. We far too often found ourselves agreeing to disagree. I wish him only the best moving forward.
After Agassi joined his camp after the Rome Masters in May 2017, Djokovic had said: “We'll see what future brings. We are both excited to work together and see where it takes us.”
But the pair have now reportedly parted ways over repeated disagreements with Djokovic having only won one title - the Aegon International in Eastbourne in July - under Agassi.
The 47-year-old said in a statement issued on ESPN: “With only the best intentions I tried to help Novak.
“We far too often found ourselves agreeing to disagree. I wish him only the best moving forward.”
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Djokovic is currently struggling for form after his comeback from a troublesome right elbow injury which required minor surgery in February.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion has lost his last three matches, crashing out of the Australian Open in the third round before opening match exits at the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open.
Djokovic - who will slip down to No 13 in the ATP rankings when they update on Monday - is currently enjoying a break until Monte Carlo, which starts on April 15.
There, he will look to snap his worst run of form since the end of the 2007 season - with the 30-year-old admitting after his defeat to Benoit Paire in Miami declaring it is “impossible” to play to the best of his abilities at present.
With Agassi gone, Djokovic will be solely mentored by touring coach Radek Stepanek for the foreseeable future. ESPN did not report who will replace Agassi.