Novak Djokovic appoints Becker as Coach

Novak Djokovic has appointed Boris Becker as his new head coach, the Serbian player has announced. The former three-times Wimbledon champion and six-times grand-slam winner will begin working with Djokovic before the Australian Open which begins on Monday 13 January.

"I am proud Novak invited me to become his head coach," Becker said on Djokovic's official website, novakdjokovic.com. "I will do my best to help him reach his goals, and I am sure we can achieve great things together."

Becker will join Djokovic's current coaching team of Marian Vajda, Miljan Amanovic and Gebhard Phil-Gritsch and accompany him to all four majors. "I am really excited to have the opportunity to work with Boris. He is a true legend, someone who has great tennis knowledge and his experience will help me win new trophies from the grand slams and other tournaments," Djokovic said.

"Becker is a great person, too, and I am sure he will fit in our team in the best possible way. Boris brings a new and fresh approach, and together with Vajda he will make a winning combination. My goal for 2014 is to play my best tennis and to get in shape for the grand slams and Masters.

"These tournaments have the most weight in our sport, and I want to prove my worth at them. The team is now strengthened and we hope for maximum results."

Vajda, who has worked with Djokovic since 2006, will take on a reduced role in 2014, attending events in Indian Wells, Madrid, Toronto and Beijing, but welcomed Becker's arrival. "In a few weeks Novak and I will start the eighth year of our co-operation," said Vajda. "During that period we have achieved almost all the goals we had. I realised that Novak needed a new head coach in order for him to continue improving certain parts of the game.

"At the same time, I will have more time for my family. Becker's assignment will not affect much my position in the team, since I will do all I can for Djokovic, just like I did before. On the other hand, choosing Boris as a head coach is a good solution. I am sure we will get along very well, and that Novak will continue to progress."

Becker joining Djokovic means that he and Andy Murray (with Ivan Lendl) now have coaches that have played one another in grand slam finals, Becker came out on top on all three occasions: Wimbledon in 1986, the US Open in 1989 and the Australian Open in 1991.