According to The Associated Press on Saturday, former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic has become the latest person associated with Novak Djokovic to test positive for coronavirus. Djokovic, the world number one tennis player who has coronavirus himself, has seen his wife Jelena, and fitness coach Marko Paniki also test positive for the dangerous disease.
It is believed all four positive cases occurred while the Djokovic family held two events on the Adria Tour earlier this month. There were events in Croatia (Ivanisevic’s home country) and Serbia (Djokovic’s home country). The events were seen as a disaster, as there were multiple cases of coronavirus, spectators in the seats, a minimal number of people wearing masks, and ball boys and ball girls participating.
Ivanisevic has been coaching Djokovic since June 30, 2019. Since the native of Split, Croatia has come on board, Djokovic has won two grand slam titles. He beat Roger Federer of Switzerland in the final of Wimbledon in 2019 by a score of 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12, and then Dominic Thiem of Austria in the final of the 2020 Australian Open, 6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. Djokovic’s other titles since June 30 came at the Japan Open in Tokyo in October, where he beat John Millman of Australia in the final, 6-3, 6-2; at the Paris Masters in France in November, where he beat Denis Shapovalov of Canada in the final, 6-3, 6-4; and at the Dubai Tennis Championship in February, where he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in the final, 6-3, 6-4. Djokovic also was part of the Serbian team that won the inaugural 2020 ATP Cup in Sydney in January.
Ivanisevic won Wimbledon in 2001. He defeated Patrick Rafter of Australia 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7 in an exciting five-set final. Ivanisevic won 22 career ATP events at the singles level. In addition to coaching Djokovic, he has coached Marin Cilic, Tomas Berdych, and Milos Raonic. There are currently 14288 total cases of coronavirus in Serbia, with 274 deaths, and 1433 active cases.
