Roger Federer: Novak Djokovic trainer reveals the THREE issues Federer faced in 2018
ROGER FEDERER was dealing with mental issues towards the end of the 2018 tennis season and that casts his Australian Open title credential into doubt.
That is according to Novak Djokovic’s physical coach Gebhard Gritsch.
Federer won the Australian Open in 2018 but could not add to his Grand Slam tally in the three other majors of the year.
Rafael Nadal won the French Open, while Djokovic claimed the Wimbledon and US Open crowns.
Federer is one of the favourites to win in Melbourne next month but Gritsch reckons Nadal is Djokovic’s biggest threat for the title.
I had the feeling that he was not mentally cool
"We have to wait for (Rafael) Nadal, he always comes back strong,” Gritsch told kurier.
“With Roger Federer I had the feeling that he was not mentally cool (at the end of the year).
“And then there was a lack of pace and speed, that are not connected with the body."
Djokovic reached the final of the ATP Finals in London last month but was undone by Alexander Zverev 6-4 6-3.
And Gritsch admits fatigue may have eventually got to the Serbian star.
"Novak had an extremely large number of games,” he added.
“It was partly his fault. It was more of a mental problem, he was not focused enough.”
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Gritsch also reckons Nadal’s stranglehold on the French Open - where the Spaniard boasts 11 men’s singles titles - may soon come to an end in the form of Dominic Thiem.
"Thiem is again the favourite of the French Open with Nadal,” he told the Austrian paper.
“It only takes time before he puts everything together in his game."