Novak Djokovic felt under pressure at the 2024 Australian Open, says Patrick Mouratoglou in the latest episode of Eye of the Coach.<br /><br />The 24-time Grand Slam champion hinted at it himself after he beat Adrian Mannarino – saying that he felt an expectation on his shoulders when he was up 6-0, 6-0, 1-0, and conceded a game to allow his French opponent on the board.<br /><br />“He didn’t do it on purpose, but he felt the pressure was too big,” says the coach.<br /><br />And after an unbeaten run in Melbourne stretching back over 2,000 days, Djokovic turned in a poor display by his exacting standards in the semi-final against Jannik Sinner.<br /><br />“He never lost a semi-final at the Australian Open. He won 10 titles here. And in a way, it brought so much pressure,” adds Mouratoglou.<br /><br />“Imagine he would win again. That would be crazy!”<br /><br />Mouratoglou points out the issues with Djokovic’s display against Sinner – including his attitude – which culminated in what he describes as a “shock” of a performance.<br /><br />“Even his attitude that is always so angry, even when he is winning, when there are pressure moments, he gets angry, he shouts at his box. He was flat – completely flat – against Sinner.”<br /><br />KEY MOMENTS<br /><br />0.13 – When Djokovic played Mannarino, he said afterwards that being up 6-0, 6-0, 1-0 was a pressure of its own.<br />0.30 – Djokovic’s impressive record at the Australian Open created a pressure of its own.<br />0.46 – Djokovic didn’t concede games on purpose, but he may have done it sub-consciously. “The fact that he said that against Mannarino makes me think there is something there,” suggests Mouratoglou.<br />1.09 – Djokovic’s semi-final against Sinner was one of his worst matches ever.<br />1.17 – He was slow, with no energy or enthusiasm.<br />1.29 – Even his attitude was flat against Sinner. The fact that Sinner did not have to defend a single break point says it all.<br />1.37 – It was shocking to see Djokovic unable to play to his standards, in what has become his home Slam.
