Novak Djokovic's energy is 'sometimes negative', reveals former French Open semi-finalist

Former Croatian tennis player Ivan Ljubicic has described 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic as someone with a "negative" energy. The 47-year-old, who has taken up coaching and commentary post-retirement, made the comment while discussing the coaching style of fellow Croatian former player Goran Ivanisevic, who was Djokovic's coach for five years and is currently a member of French player Arthur Fils' support staff.

"Goran has a lot of experience and I think he will mostly help to calm things down, because I found the atmosphere around Arthur to be very energetic, fiery," Ljubicic was quoted by Tennis World USA as saying.

"Goran is someone who calms things down and is very objective. He tells you things exactly as they are, and I think he will bring him, above all, calmness. Goran has been in lively environments, just like Novak Djokovic.

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"With the difference that Djokovic’s energy is sometimes negative. That is not the case with Arthur. But it is not easy to unsettle Goran. He has been through a lot, and to do that, you have to do things differently than just winning ATP 500 tournaments," the 2006 French Open semi-finalist continued.

Ivanisevic, winner of the 2001 Wimbledon, had begun his coaching journey with Marin Cilic in 2013, nearly a decade after bringing down the curtain on his professional career.

It was his five-year run as part of Djokovic's team from 2019 to 2024, however, that has been the highlight of Ivanisevic's coaching career, with the Serbian superstar having won nine Grand Slams during this period including the 2023 US Open – his 24th Major.

The two ended up parting ways in March 2024, with Ivanisevic later coaching Elena Rybakina and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

What Ljubicic had previously said about Djokovic's association with negativity

Ljubicic, meanwhile, has addressed Djokovic's "negative" energy in the past as well. In a statement that he had made three years ago, he described the Serbian as someone who "feeds on that negative energy" while explaining why Djokovic has never been as loved by fans as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

"I think he feeds on that negative energy; he needs it to bring out 110 per cent of himself. He has to find someone who makes him angry — if it’s not the crowd, then it’s someone from his team," Ljubicic had said.

"I have an opinion, but it’s hard to explain. It seems to me that Novak has two characters: One with negative energy where he gets angry at everything and everyone, and another who loves people, who is humanitarian. Because of that, he loses some of his fans, who are looking for continuity in character," he added.

Having finished runner-up at the Australian Open earlier this year after losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the final, Djokovic – who is expected to call time on his career soon – will resume his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title at the French Open that gets underway in Paris next month.