Agassi to continue to coach Djokovic in 2018

BELGRADE, Serbia — Novak Djokovic's team says Andre Agassi will remain his coach in 2018.

“We can confirm that Agassi remains the head coach, while Italian Marco Panichi will take over as the fitness coach and Argentine Ulises Badio is the new physio,” Djokovic’s press office said in a statement.

“The only remaining issue is appointing a second coach, and that will complete the staff accompanying Djokovic in 2018.”

After winning his maiden French Open title last year to complete a career slam, Djokovic’s on-court struggles meant he surrendered the top spot to Briton Andy Murray before the end of the 2017 season.

That slump led him to cut his coaching ties with Boris Becker, and following a shock second-round exit at the Australian Open, he parted ways with his entire training staff, headed by Marian Vajda.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion stepped off the ATP Tour following Wimbledon, where he retired during his quarterfinal against Tomas Berdych because of an elbow injury.

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Djokovic brought Agassi into his team in May before the French Open. They worked together for two months. After Wimbledon, there were doubts the American great would continue coaching the Serb.

Djokovic failed to make it past the quarter-finals at either the French Open or Wimbledon in 2017, before taking the rest of the season off to heal a recurring elbow injury, which he said had plagued him for 18 months.

“Djokovic is still nursing his elbow injury and has spent several days in Belgrade for some fitness training,” the statement added.

“He is working hard to get started with tennis practice as soon as possible, in order to meet his own expectations of making a comeback in Australia in 2018.”