Alexander Zverev spills the beans on Novak Djokovic & his secret coaching agreement after retirement

On Wednesday (Jan. 8) night, Novak Djokovic took the opportunity to sharpen his tools and also entertain a full house at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, when he fronted the 'A Night With Novak Djokovic' charity event. The evening's highlight was a one-set Fast4 style match with German World No. 2 Alexander Zverev, who revealed after the game that Djokovic has promised to coach him one day.

The 10-time Australian Open titleholder also took time to show off some of his less-known sporting skills. He hit balls with wheelchair champion Dylan Alcott, played cricket with Aaron Finch, Meg Lanning, and netball with Sharelle McMahon.

Despite losing the one-setter on a tie-break to good friend Alexander Zverev, the Serbian also sat for a Q&A session with Zverev and new team member Andy Murray, prompting the German to spill the beans on their arrangement. He said:

"People don't know that me and Novak, similar to Andy, I don't know, but me and Novak have a deal that once he retires from tennis he's gonna coach me for a year, as well. So he just wants to postpone this until I retire so he doesn't have to do that."

The pair also joked about Djokovic's famous special tree, which he visits at Victorial's Royal Botanica Gardens, and under which he meditates before each Australian Open. At the 2024 event, Djokovic told reporters that “there’s one particular tree” in the gardens that he’s “been having a special relationship with, so to say, in the last 15 years”.

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Novak Djokovic is hunting an astonishing 25th Major championship at the 2025 Australian Open

2025 Australian Open Previews - Source: Getty

At 37, Novak Djokovic is closing in on retirement but remains remarkably competitive. The Serb is chasing an astounding 25th Major title in 2025, having finally fulfilled his dream of Olympic gold in Paris last year. Djokovic's team-up with Murray looks like a shrewd and calculated move to make the most of his remaining time at the top of the game.

He remains Melbourne's most prolific winner, winning the Major in 2008, 2011-2013, 2015-2016, 2019-2021, and 2023. He missed the 2022 tournament after a well-documented COVID issue saw him being denied a visa to enter the country. However, the 37-year-old stormed back in 2024 to reach the semifinal, where he was beaten in four sets by current ATP World No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

He reached two Major finals in 2024, marking the first year he's failed to clinch a Grand Slam since 2017.