Novak Djokovic appears ready to sign Viktor Troicki barely a day following their coaching separation from renowned British tennis player Andy Murray .
Djokovic and Murray verified that their half-year collaboration has concluded on Tuesday, just 12 days before the French Open gets started.
The Serbian previously stated that he hoped to continue working with Murray through Roland-Garros and Wimbledon before the announcement.
However, Djokovic has had a challenging season throughout, facing several surprising losses, including his first-round defeat against Matteo Arnaldi at the Madrid tournament most recently.
Djokovic made a shift when Murray stepped back from his position, and it appears that the 24-time Grand Slam champion already has a new trainer in mind.
A video posted by Troicki on his Instagram story on Wednesday shows him training alongside Djokovic. The 37-year-old shared this footage on social media.
The Serbian tennis coach and ex-professional player Troicki was part of Djokovic’s team during his last appearance at Roland-Garros for the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Djokovic ultimately secured the gold medal in the men’s singles during the Olympics held in Paris, with Serbia's Davis Cup team leader in attendance as his coach.
In a statement affirming his separation from Murray on Tuesday, Djokovic stated: "Thanks, Coach Andy, for all your effort, enjoyment, and backing during the past six months both on and off the tennis court; I genuinely appreciated strengthening our bond as friends."
Murray added: 'I'm grateful to Novak for the incredible chance to collaborate and thankful to his team for their diligent efforts these last six months. Wishing Novak the very best for the remainder of the season.'
At the Madrid Open the previous month, Djokovic expressed frustration during a practice session with Murray. following a string of bad plays.
For some time now, there have been speculations circulating online suggesting that Djokovic might be close to retiring from tennis, particularly following his latest remarks.
After his premature departure from Madrid, Djokovic stated: 'This might be [my final appearance at this event]. It might be.'
'I'm uncertain about returning. So, honestly, I'm at a loss for words. What I want to convey is, I might return, though probably not as a player, obviously. While I hope it doesn't happen, it's still possible.'
Murray, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer have retired in recent years, leaving Djokovic as the final member of the Big Four still competing.
Many people thought Djokovic wouldn't retire until he secured his 25th Grand Slam singles victory, but he failed to win a major tournament in 2024, and his performance this year has been disastrous.
Djokovic is scheduled to compete at the French Open – which begins on May 25 – in his upcoming bid to distance himself from Margaret Court’s all-time record for the most Grand Slam singles titles.
Clay has never been Djokovic’s preferred surface; he has had greater success on grass and hard courts instead. But if he fails to win either the French Open or Wimbledon this year, it might signal the end of his reign as the world’s top tennis player.