Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Thursday 5 april 2018

Struggling Djokovic announces

splits with Agassi, Stepanek

By HOWARD FENDRICH Novak and Andre Agassi different ways to regain
AP Tennis Writer has also ended." winning form."
Novak Djokovic is done Djokovic has struggled on He began working with
working with Andre Agassi the court this season as he eight-time major champion
and Radek Stepanek af- deals with a right elbow Agassi on a part-time basis
ter the latest in a series of problem that just won't before last year's French
coaching changes for the seem to go away, even Open in May. He added
12-time major champion though he took the second Stepanek, who just retired
who has gone nearly two half of last year off and then as a player, to his team at
full years without winning a had a medical procedure the end of November.
Grand Slam title. in February. His latest set- Djokovic stopped working
Djokovic announced back was a straight-set loss with Boris Becker in Decem-
Wednesday on his website in his opening match last ber 2016, then fired long-
that he has split from Agassi month at the Miami Open, time coach Marian Vajda
after less than a year and a tournament he has won shortly before bringing
from Stepanek after less six times. aboard Agassi.
than six months. Earlier in March, Djokovic All of this followed the most
The 30-year-old Serb has dropped his opener at Indi- successful stretch of Djokov-
lost his past three matches. an Wells, where he has won ic's career, which included
"The private relationship five titles, to Taro Daniel, a a run of four consecutive
with Stepanek was and will qualifier ranked outside the Grand Slam titles that con-
remain great, and Novak top 100. cluded at the French Open
has enjoyed working with Before that, Djokovic lost in in June 2016. That made - In this Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018 file photo, Serbia's Novak Djokov-
him and learning from him," the fourth round at the Aus- him the first man in nearly a ic coaches Radek Stepanek, right, and Andre Agassi, left,
watch Djokovic play United States' Donald Young in their first
the posting on the website tralian Open. half-century to hold all four round match at the Australian Open tennis championships in
says. "He remains grateful "Novak remains focused major trophies at the same Melbourne, Australia.
and appreciative of all the and eager to come back time, as well as the eighth
support he has received stronger and more resilient man in tennis history with a Federer (20), Rafael Nad- Djokovic has zero titles and
from Radek during the last from (the) long injury break career Grand Slam. al (16) and Pete Sampras one runner-up finish. He is
period." that has affected his con- It also capped a span in (14). He also has finished ranked 13th this week.
The only mention of Agassi fidence and game," the which Djokovic reached four years at No. 1 in the The next major, the French
comes in the final sen- website posting says. "He is the finals at 10 of 12 majors, ATP rankings. Open, begins in Paris on
tence, which reads simply: continuously and passion- winning six. His total of 12 But over the past seven May 27.
"The cooperation between ately looking for new and such titles trails only Roger Grand Slam tournaments, q

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