Gebhard Gritsch - Australian Open Final 2012, the "Master's Examination"
In an interview with Sport Tirol, Gebhard Gritsch looks back on the time together with world number one Novak Djokovic . And he also remembers his personal "master craftsman examination".
by Michael Rothschädl
last edit: Dec 22, 2021, 07:56 am
"On average, I was on the road with Novak for 40 weeks a year, an incredibly intense time", Gebhard Gritsch remembers about ten years in which the Austrian toured around the world alongside Novak Djokovic - and to the biggest tournaments . The fitness trainer immediately recognized that Djokovic had a very special physique: "How he moves, can still control the ball where others would have lost their balance - all of this is unbelievable, it was great fun," said the 65- Year olds towards Sport Tirol.
Although the collaboration with Novak Djokovic brought radical changes in the Austrian's family life, the Austrian decided without hesitation to accept the Serb's offer: "I had seized this huge opportunity to work with a great tennis player. When I started, was Djokovic is number three, "Gritsch looks back. "My first task was to get him into top physical shape. The breakthrough came in 2011 when he overtook Federer and Nadal - it's impressive how long his series lasted. Especially when you know how difficult it is to get the number to become one and then to stay. "
Temporary separation 2016
Despite a long, successful collaboration, Gritsch and Djokovic separated in 2016 - a common problem for the most successful athletes on the planet overtook the Serbs at the time, as Gritsch explains: "The break came after his victory at the 2016 French Open in Paris. There Novak had won all four Grand Slam tournaments with his final victory over Andy Murray and thus achieved one last major goal for the time being. When you then stand at the summit and look back, a huge load falls off your shoulders. And suddenly the air was out. "
As is well known, this separation did not last long, almost exactly a year later Djokovic brought Gebhard Gritsch back into the team. This was followed by highly successful years for the world number one. Until 2019, Gritsch was to work at Djokovic's side - 15 major titles went to the now 34-year-old Serbian in the ten-year coaching career of Gritsch.
"Master's Examination" 2012
The greatest match in Gebhard Gritsch's memory? The final of the Australian Open 2012, the roughly six-hour tennis battle that Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic fought in Melbourne almost ten years ago. And the protégé Djokovic was finally able to decide for himself. For Gritsch something like the "master's examination", it was especially Nadal at the time who was known for his special physique and stamina.
After working together with Djokovic, the now 65-year-old Gritsch joined the Olympic Center in Linz. And on the fringes of the Davis Cup Finals in Innsbruck, he passed on his expertise and experience to Sport Tirol, such as the preparation that ex-protégé Djokovic relied on before his matches. "Intense jumping rope, dynamic light stretching, working with ligaments and ultimately loosely wrapping" namely.
You can read the entire interview with Gebhard Gritsch here!