Has any men’s tennis player made a bigger mark on the sport than Novak Djokovic? The Serbian holds the record for the most Grand Slams won by a men’s player, with his tally of 24 only matched by Margaret Court in the women’s record books. It would be a great shame to lose Djokovic from the sport after his retirement – but it seems the 38-year-old does indeed have coaching ambitions.
Novak Djokovic’s intentions are clear. The 38-year-old wants to pull clear of Margaret Court in the record books for most Grand Slam titles before hanging up his racquet.
For someone of Djokovic’s stature in the game, it seems almost inevitable coaching will be in his future.
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And, when asked about his plans after retirement, the 24-time Grand Slam champion gave some indication that he will remain in the sport.
“My plan after I retire from tennis is to coach [Joao] Fonseca,” Djokovic told the US Open’s media. “I’m going to be very expensive for him, so be ready.”
Whether it be tongue-in-cheek or not, the prospect of Djokovic guiding Fonseca through his young, budding years is an exciting one for tennis fans.
The 19-year-old has been nothing short of a sensation since bursting onto the ATP scene, appearing at each of the four Grand Slams this season, and causing some upsets along the way.
After winning the Next Gen ATP Finals at the end of 2024, Fonseca came through the Australian Open qualifiers in resounding fashion, before ousting No. 9 seed Andrey Rublev in the first round of the main draw.
Fonseca then won his maiden tour-level title a month later, as he beat home favourite Francisco Cerundolo in the final of the Argentina Open, in the process becoming the 10th-youngest champion in ATP Tour history.
He added an ATP Challenger Tour title to his collection in March, taking home the Arizona Tennis Classic trophy, before going on to the clay court of Roland Garros.
Fonseca made light work of the seeded Hubert Hurkacz before exiting in the third round to Jack Draper, and fell at the same hurdle in his Wimbledon campaign a month later.
What’s more, the backing of the Brazilian crowd has created some remarkable atmospheres on court.
That was evident during his straight-set victory over Djokovic’s compatriot, Miomir Kecmanovic, in his US Open first-round victory on Monday.
While Beatriz Haddad Maia has been a success in the women’s draws, Brazil have long waited for a men’s player to also challenge at the top end of the rankings. Fonseca may just be the answer to their calls.
His latest victory saw him extend an impressive record of 12-0 in sets in the first round of major tournaments at which he has played.
As the teenager continues to sculpt his promising career, the idea of Djokovic coaching him is surely an alluring one.
No former men’s player knows quite as much as the Serbian when it comes to picking up major trophies. His tally of 24 sits two clear of Rafael Nadal, and four ahead of Roger Federer.
Nadal recently, very slightly, dipped his toe in the waters of coaching when he trained with Alexander Zverev in Mallorca, but neither he nor Federer have had permanent positions following their retirements.
Andy Murray’s high-profile partnership with Djokovic earlier this year was the most notable example of a recently-retired player testing their coaching credentials.
But it is hard to see Djokovic staying away from the game when his playing days are over. Could Fonseca’s emergence prove timely for a potentially fascinating coaching partnership?
