Djokovic parts with Todd Martin?

[Gaab]

I don't know if this has been announced here before, but Novak reportedly (= unfortunately I have no precise source to back this statement, safe from a French website that does not state precise source) stated at a Monte-Carlo press conference that he parted with Todd Martin, adding that he was not ready to modify his serve as Marin asked him, and that Martin did not integrate with his team as well as they had expected.

 

[CMM]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/12/AR2010041201239.html

 

[Gaab]

Now that is substantial. Thanks!

 

[jrod]

Communication problems eh? That's an understatement. Based on his results as of late any change at all seems like a good move.

Quite frankly, I never understood the motivation to enlist Martin in the first place. I mean, what the hell does Martin bring to the mix that is a net positive? What I find interesting is Todd Martin is perhaps one of the stiffest and least flexible players to ever play the game, and Novak is one of the most flexible. Oil and water.

 

[Sartorius]

Most probably a very good decision.

Hopefully the damage to his serve is not too much and he can get it back to good form as soon as possible.

 

[forzamilan90]

about time

 

[Li Ching Yuen]

Djokovic needs to learn how to be a champion, a real champion. That's all. He had the game.

 

[Safin4ever]

I think Djokovic should take Safin as his coach. He has been there...done that. Go Safin!!!

 

[cknobman]

Good......Martin didnt really do anything but screw up Djokers serve anyways.

I like the Safin idea he could really help Djoker in the players box department.

Nothin like havin a couple of cracked out hookers in your box!!!!

 

[yellowoctopus]

Djokovic needs to learn how to be a champion, a real champion. That's all. He had the game.

Well said.

Quite frankly, I never understood the motivation to enlist Martin in the first place. I mean, what the hell does Martin bring to the mix that is a net positive? What I find interesting is Todd Martin is perhaps one of the stiffest and least flexible players to ever play the game, and Novak is one of the most flexible. Oil and water.

In my opinion, Mr. Djokovic's flexibilty, while an asset to his technique (one of the best double-handed backhands), also causes a flaw in it. It is very subtle, but if one observe closely, you will find that he under-utilizes his hip. This is especially true for his serve. Due to an impressive amount of flexibility in his body, his shoulders turn independently and not coordination with his hip, causing more demand on his arms for power. I believe this is one of the primary reasons why he unfortunately dumps his serve into the net during crucial points. Unfortunately this tiny flaw in his technique has also affects him mentally, which causes him to hold back his hip even more--it has become a cycle.

I hope Mr. Djokovic can end this issue, among others, and become one of the great champions one day. One also has to give him credit for having the desire to improve his game.

 

[Telepatic]

Todd's fine guy but I can't say I'm not happy with this news..

 

[stapler]

Djokovic confirmed for best decision of the year.

 

[Djokovicfan4life]

I'm not going to pretend like I know what goes on between the players and their coaches, but I will say this. Novak's serve was going downhill before he hired Martin. It's not like he had his AO 2008 serve this whole time and then Todd stepped in and ruined everything.

And he has looked more comfortable at the net of late, so at least he can take that away from his time with Martin.

 

[jrod]

....In my opinion, Mr. Djokovic's flexibilty, while an asset to his technique (one of the best double-handed backhands), also causes a flaw in it. It is very subtle, but if one observe closely, you will find that he under-utilizes his hip. This is especially true for his serve. Due to an impressive amount of flexibility in his body, his shoulders turn independently and not coordination with his hip, causing more demand on his arms for power. I believe this is one of the primary reasons why he unfortunately dumps his serve into the net during crucial points. Unfortunately this tiny flaw in his technique has also affects him mentally, which causes him to hold back his hip even more--it has become a cycle.

I hope Mr. Djokovic can end this issue, among others, and become one of the great champions one day. One also has to give him credit for having the desire to improve his game....

It usually works out that one's strength is also a major contributing factor to ones weakness(es).

I find Novak's latest service motion to be entirely counterproductive. Not sure if Martin had anything to do with it, but if he did then it's good he's no longer influencing Novak. My sense is, someone with Novak's flexibility should possess a serve that is monsterously difficult to deal with. He needs someone who knows how to put all those moving parts into one fluent, reliable, versatile and lethal package. Then we can talk top 5. Oh, it would be good if they could fix his brain too.

 

[Djokovicfan4life]

It usually works out that one's strength is also a major contributing factor to ones weakness(es).

I find Novak's latest service motion to be entirely counterproductive. Not sure if Martin had anything to do with it, but if he did then it's good he's no longer influencing Novak. My sense is, someone with Novak's flexibility should possess a serve that is monsterously difficult to deal with. He needs someone who knows how to put all those moving parts into one fluent, reliable, versatile and lethal package. Then we can talk top 5. Oh, it would be good if they could fix his brain too.

If you're going to get into the mental side of it, Martin seems like an excellent fit for him, at least on paper. Can't get much more cool and calm than Todd was.

 

[aldeayeah]

he was not ready to modify his serve as Marin asked him

no **** sherlock

How many DFs did it take him to notice?

 

[sdont]

Good. This, with the fact that the clay court season has just started, I'm confident he can find his serve (and his game) back.

 

[jrod]

If you're going to get into the mental side of it, Martin seems like an excellent fit for him, at least on paper. Can't get much more cool and calm than Todd was.

I haven't seen anyone offer up an answer to my question about what Martin was brought in to address. However, if you are suggesting that it might have been to address his mental (in)stability, then I'd say it failed....miserably in fact.

 

[GS]

The Jokerman should drop his contract with Head as well, and go back to using Wilson racquets, namely, that smaller headed stick he had success with....

 

[sureshs]

It is not as if the prematurely-aged Todd Martin is a successful coach. Who else has he coached? Mardy Fish? Hardly a stellar example.

 

[jackson vile]

I don't understand why Novak does not go back to what he was doing when he beat the #1#2#3 all in a row. He needs to watch his old matches, also the majority of his problems are mental.

In his best years he had focus better than Roger.

 

[Ripster]

Good decision to fire Martin right as the clay season begins. The experiment just wasn't working and his serve was a mess. Hopefully he'll go back to his old motion and his serve will become a weapon again.

Nothing against Martin, I'm sure Novak took some good things out of their relationship such as improved net play and when to transition from the baseline to the net but it was time to move on and go back to what made him a grand slam champion.

 

[pound cat]

It brings tears to Martin's eyes.....

neamwhile the guy beside him is laughing his head off...

 

[rudester]

I saw Novak at australian open when he first started to come on. He was very successful then, the thing that caught my eye was that he was fearless, be it Federer or anyone else, he believed he could win. It seems the reality of being top 5 player and staying there has introduced uncertainty in his head. Hiring Todd Martin seems like a desperate move, Can't imagine how Martin can help Novak's fundamentals, he already has game. I think he needs to really believe in himself once again.

 

[jrod]

I saw Novak at australian open when he first started to come on. He was very successful then, the thing that caught my eye was that he was fearless, be it Federer or anyone else, he believed he could win. It seems the reality of being top 5 player and staying there has introduced uncertainty in his head. Hiring Todd Martin seems like a desperate move, Can't imagine how Martin can help Novak's fundamentals, he already has game. I think he needs to really believe in himself once again.

Perceptive post rudester. I agree with you that when Novak was outside the top 20 he had nothing to lose and was totally fearless, even talking big to the ire of people like Federer. My sense is he had nothing to lose and everything to gain in those days. It does appear that once he established himself, sustaining his position turned out to require a different set of mental skills which perhaps weren't there. It seems this is a trait shared by all the top Serbs...