Novak Djokovic has expressed his dislike for having his coaching discussions broadcast during the 2025 Australian Open, following his win over Jaime Faria on Wednesday morning. The 37-year-old battled through to a 7-1, 7-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory, securing a place in the third round as he pursues a historic 25th Grand Slam title.
This year, coaching pods have been set up near the courts, allowing coaches and players to communicate at any time except during live points. Djokovic, however, was not pleased with this new arrangement, particularly the idea that his opponent’s team could overhear the conversation and potentially use the information against him.
“The only thing that I dislike there is the fact that someone from your opponent’s team might be watching the match, and she or he hears that and, of course, then texts the team member,” Djokovic said. “Ten seconds later you have the information. That’s the part that I don’t like. So I feel like there should be some discretion and privacy in terms of the actual on-court coaching tactics.”
Despite the coaching setup, Djokovic had to fight hard against Faria, who pushed him to a tiebreak in the second set. Djokovic praised his opponent for playing well, especially in the second set, but said he weathered the storm and finished strong, particularly in the third and fourth sets.
Reflecting on his young opponent’s potential, Djokovic said, “The future is bright for him. He’s a big guy, very young, I think 20 or 21 years old. He should keep it going.”
Djokovic will face Tomas Machac in the third round, after Machac advanced through a five-set victory over Reilly Opelka.
