Novak Djokovic has confirmed that he has parted ways with his longtime agent and chief-of-staff, Edoardo Artaldi, and he is now embarking on a new chapter in his off-court approach.
The Serbian tennis legend stated that he and Artaldi are still friends but have decided to go their separate ways professionally. Djokovic also acknowledged that the transition is challenging.
Known within Djokovic’s team as ‘Dodi’, Artaldi had been managing Djokovic since the Serbian player’s first Grand Slam win at the Australian Open in 2008. Artaldi and his partner Elena Cappellaro have overseen the extensive operation that supports the 24-time Major champion.
In a 2019 interview with SBS Italian, Artaldi reflected on his most unforgettable moment while working with the world No. 1.
“The most unforgettable one is the reception we got when we flew back to Serbia after he won Wimbledon in 2011 and reached the number one spot,” he recalled.
“If I can choose one from his tennis profession and one from his private life, I would say his determination on one side and on the other his generosity is his best quality.”
READ MORE: Meet Novak Djokovic’s chief-of-staff who has helped to mastermind his success
During the 2023 Paris Masters, Djokovic announced that Artaldi had left his team and explained he is currently undergoing changes in his approach to managing his off-court activities.
“We remain friends but professionally we have decided to go our separate ways. I’m entering a new chapter in my off-court approach. The transition is not easy, but I’m moving forward,” Djokovic explained in an interview.
Djokovic made his return to competition at the Paris Masters this week, defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-2 in his first singles match since September 15th.
Before this match, Djokovic had only played one singles match since winning the 2023 US Open final against Daniil Medvedev on September 10th, which was his victory over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Davis Cup group stage.
The 36-year-old Serbian also participated in doubles on Tuesday in Paris, where he and his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic won 6-4, 6-2 against Gonzalo Escobar and Aleksandr Nedovyesov in the opening round.
Djokovic then overcame world No. 23 Tallon Griekspoor 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 in the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament on Thursday, despite experiencing stomach issues.
The six-time Paris Bercy champion will face world No. 7 Holger Rune in a highly anticipated quarter-final match on Friday. Rune, who defeated Djokovic in a three-set final in Paris last year, has recently teamed up with Djokovic’s former coach Boris Becker.
READ MORE: WATCH: Novak Djokovic sarcastically applauds crowd, urges them to ‘boo more’ before going into beast mode
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