Novak Djokovic officially named Viktor Troicki as his head coach on May 21, just days before the 2026 French Open begins on May 24 in Paris [1, 2, 3]. Troicki, who previously coached Djokovic during his 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal run and was a teammate during Serbia’s 2010 Davis Cup victory, will lead Djokovic as he targets a record 25th Grand Slam title [1, 2, 3].
Djokovic has faced physical challenges this season. A persistent shoulder injury disrupted his preparation and limited his clay-court play [4, 1, 5, 2, 3, 6]. He lost in the Australian Open final in February to Carlos Alcaraz and suffered an early defeat at the Italian Open on May 20 to Dino Prizmic, signaling his limited readiness on clay [4, 5, 6]. Djokovic acknowledged his physical condition is not ideal, saying, "I don't recall the last time ... I didn't have any kind of physical issues." He described his current state as "a new reality that I have to deal with" and admitted, "I'm not definitely where I want to be for the highest level" [4, 6].
To manage his injury, Djokovic skipped several tournaments including Geneva, Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid, prioritizing rest and recovery over competition [4, 3, 6]. Meanwhile, defending French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz is sidelined by a wrist injury, putting more focus on Djokovic and world number one Jannik Sinner as main contenders for the title [4, 5].
Djokovic, who turns 39 on May 22, has won three French Open titles in his career and reliably reached at least the quarter-finals since 2009 except for a third-round loss in that same year [6]. Despite setbacks, he remains determined to compete at the highest level. He greeted Troicki as "my friend, teammate and now coach" highlighting their long-standing connection [1].
The 2026 French Open will start on May 24, just two days after Djokovic's 39th birthday, as he aims to add to his Grand Slam tally under new coaching guidance [4, 1, 2, 3, 6].
