Hiring Becker a risk, concedes Djokovic

Novak Djokovic accepts he has taken a risk by hiring Boris Becker as his head coach.

The Serbian is bidding for a fourth straight title at the Australian Open after three seasons where he has had more success than any other male player.

But, after losing the US Open final to Rafael Nadal last year and ceding his number one ranking to the Spaniard, Djokovic decided he needed a change.

The approach to six-time grand slam winner Becker came at the end of September and caught the tennis world by surprise when it was announced last month.

Marian Vajda has been Djokovic’s main coach since he was a teenager but the Slovakian will now take a back seat, travelling to only a handful of tournaments.

Djokovic said: “Whenever you make a change in life, it’s a potential risk. But I don’t want to think from that perspective.

“I’m really excited about this co-operation. I’m excited about this partnership that I have with Boris that also has been approved and supported by Marian, who is still in the team.

“He’s still going to travel with me on certain tournaments that Boris is not going to be there. We’re going to spend a lot of time on preparations.

“Also, they have a great communication. All I see is positive results, and I hope for that.”