Djokovic's first coach was a woman, and perhaps the last one should be hired as well

Djokovic announced on Tuesday, May 13 that he had decided to terminate his partnership with Murray, a sudden news that shocked the entire tennis world. Despite his inconsistent form this season due to injury, the Serbian superstar reached the last four of the Australian Open and finished runners-up at the Miami Open.

Djokovic has not yet mentioned whether he has any plans to find a new coach, but with the French Open approaching, he may start looking for a new coach. Since turning professional, the 24-time Grand Slam title has been coached by former ATP players, including the likes of Ivanisevic and Becker.

However, the foundation of Djokovic's career was laid by a female coach, Jelena Gencic, who was the initiator of his tennis career. Now, as Deyo nears the end of his career, having a female coach accompany him on this storied journey could be a meaningful ending.

Jelena Genčić was born in Serbia and was active in both tennis and handball at a young age. After the age of 27, she focused on tennis and gradually became a well-known junior coach.

From 1993 to 1999, Gencic trained young Djokovic at the Patisan Tennis Club in Belgrade, whom he often called his "tennis mother". Gencic is really discerning and can spot young players with great potential. Although Djokovic is her most successful student, she has also coached multiple Grand Slam champions such as Seles, Mayori and Ivanisevic.

Female coaches are extremely rare on the ATP Tour, and even rarer on the WTA Tour. Currently, only Andreeva has one female coach in the women's top 10, the 1994 Wimbledon champion and former professional Martinez.

Hiring a female coach for a player of Djokovic's calibre could make a difference in tennis. His former rival, Murray, was coached by two-time Grand Slam champion Mauresmo between 2014 and 2016, becoming one of the few male players to be coached by a woman at the time.

Mauresmo also went on to coach France's Puj, although the two parted ways in 2020 due to the pandemic. Today, there are still a number of former women's pros willing to offer Djokovic valuable experience, perhaps the most prominent of which is Serena Williams.

If there's anyone who really understands the pressure Djokovic is under right now, it's Serena Williams. The American star has firmly held the 'all-time' position in women's tennis since winning her 23rd Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open, and she struggled to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 titles in the latter stages of her career.

Now, Djokovic has equalled Cousin's Grand Slam record, and after winning his 24th title at the 2023 US Open, he will reach only one final at Wimbledon in 2024, losing to Alcaraz.

Serena Williams understands this historical weight and may be able to provide him with valuable psychological and practical advice. She, like Deyo, is a legend of her time. If Murray had already made waves in the tennis world with Murray as the coach, it would have been an even more sensational move to have Serena Williams join his team.

However, such a "dream combination" is still a hypothesis for now. Since retiring in 2022, Serena Williams is focusing on her personal business landscape. Despite this, there are still a number of talented female coaches who are eager to join Deyo's team.

In the past, when most coaches were coached by men, choosing a female coach might bring new inspiration and breakthroughs to Djokovic. Towards the end of his career, he may be in need of an attempt to "break the rules" in order to perfect that last great moment.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Spark)