Goran Ivanisevic, formerly Novak Djokovic's coach, has begun working with 21-year-old French player Arthur Fils. The 54-year-old Croat has been in Fils's player box at the Qatar Open. Fils has advanced to the semi-finals with recent victories.
Goran Ivanisevic, who won Wimbledon in 1995 as his only Grand Slam title, parted ways with Novak Djokovic after five years that yielded nine major victories from 2019 to 2024. Since then, Ivanisevic has struggled to settle into new roles, lasting just two months each with Elena Rybakina and Stefanos Tsitsipas. During his brief time with Tsitsipas, Ivanisevic described the player as "unfit" and "a disaster." Tsitsipas's mother responded critically, stating, "Goran Ivanisevic’s history as a coach begins and ends with a player named Novak Djokovic. He completely lost himself in him. I saw it. It shocked me. I take the blame for it being the wrong choice."
Ivanisevic's earlier coaching successes include stints with Marin Cilic, Tomas Berdych, and Milos Raonic. Now, he has joined Arthur Fils, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2024 and peaked at No. 14 in the ATP rankings. At the Qatar Open, Fils defeated Kamil Majchrzak, Quentin Halys, and eighth seed Jiri Lehecka to secure a semi-final spot on Friday.
Fils expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, telling Tennis TV: "[Ivanisevic is a] hell of a champion, winner of a Slam and coached a lot of guys. A lot of champions actually, so yeah, he’s helping me during the season. We’re going to try, but I think it’s good for me, it’s maybe the best for me to have his experience as a coach and as a player. So very, very happy that he’s joined us during this long journey." This collaboration marks a fresh start for Ivanisevic following his high-profile exit from Djokovic's team.
