Reavealed: The Man Who Will Replace Murray as Djokovic’s Coach for Doha
Novak Djokovic is recovering from the thigh injury he picked up in Australia quicker than expected, and he is now set to play in the Doha ATP 500 tournament from 17 to 22 February. Originally, it was thought that the injury would keep him out for a couple of months, and rumours suggested he might not return until the clay season, possibly in Monte Carlo or Madrid.
However, Serbian media recently confirmed that Djokovic’s injury was not as serious as first believed. Although the 37-year-old hasn’t practised since the Australian Open, his recovery has been fast, and he feels ready to return to competition.
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, will need to play at his best in Doha, a prestigious ATP 500 event where top players like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who was defeated by Djokovic in the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, will also compete.
Fernando Verdasco to Coach Djokovic in Doha
As expected, Andy Murray will not be joining Djokovic in Doha. However, their coaching collaboration will continue at least until Wimbledon, after a successful partnership at the Australian Open earlier this year.
A surprising new update has emerged from Serbian media. For the Doha tournament, Djokovic’s coach will be former Spanish tennis star Fernando Verdasco. Verdasco, who retired in 2023 after winning seven ATP titles, has known Djokovic for a long time and shares a strong relationship with him.
“We decided a long time ago that I would coach him in Qatar,” Verdasco said. The Spaniard has been living in Doha for some time and is excited about the opportunity to work with Djokovic in the upcoming tournament.
Djokovic and Verdasco have faced each other 15 times in professional tennis, with Djokovic leading their head-to-head 11-4. Their last meeting was in Doha in 2017, one of the more challenging years in Djokovic’s career, when he won in three sets after a tough battle.
