Novak Djokovic is ‘in pain’ after US Open incident… says former coach

The US Open normally marks the end of the grand slam season. But the coronavirus pandemic changed that and having another major just around the corner could be exactly what Novak Djokovic needs to overcome the lowest point of his career.

That is the thought of his friend and former coach Radek Stepanek, and former world No. 1 Jim Courier.

Stepanek isn’t discounting a turnaround in the land of public opinion at some point when it comes to Djokovic, either, despite his rocky last few months.

He has made an eye-catching pronouncement on vaccines, discussed the effects of emotions on water, organized the Adria Tour exhibition series in the Balkans that went badly wrong and, most recently, left the US Open in shame.

There wouldn’t have been as many players in recent history as strong a favorite to land a major than Djokovic in New York this year, given his dominance — unbeaten in 2020 — and the absence of his two biggest rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic, though, was defaulted Sunday when he hit a ball that inadvertently struck a line judge in the throat. Frustration got the better of the 17-time grand slam winner after missing three set points in the first against Pablo Carreno Busta, hurting his left shoulder in a fall and then getting broken to trail 5-6 in a frantic 10-minute spell.

He later apologized on social media.