Two of the best players on the men’s tour spoke to the media on Sunday morning. Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka both come to Madrid intent on going all the way after very different starts to the season. While the Serb arrives keen on “entering a new chapter” after ending his relationship with the team that took him to number one in the world, the Swiss is looking to maintain the form he has shown so far this year.

A change of coach and staff was the media’s main focus for the Mutua Madrid Open’s defending champion’s press conference. Djokovic recognized that “it was not an easy decision” for him or the people by his side. “We all felt like we needed a change”, said Nole before explaining that it was “a mutual decision”. The Serb stated that he cannot thank his old team enough for the “professionalism, commitment and friendship” shown throughout the years together, when they shared very special times and “it created a friendship, family-like relationship that will never die. They will always stay there”.

Djokovic commented that “it was just a time where, we all felt like we had to move on and I just don’t want to rush things. I’m going to take a little bit more time to think of the next person that will be there as a tennis coach. But, as I said, I don’t want to rush into it. I believe in the process of change, that it’s going to bring me some good things.”

Now Djokovic hopes that what has happened does not “drag any kind of weight on the court” and he wants to take each day at a time and have good training sessions with his current team, who are fully behind him. He is well on the way there as he was “excited” to compete at the highest level. “I haven’t forgotten to hit the tennis ball”, he added.

Wawrinka comes to the Mutua Madrid Open in a very different place to that of Djokovic. The Swiss is “feeling fit and ready. For me it’s a big tournament. It’s an important tournament in the calendar”, and he has been training hard for it in recent months. However, he is aware that “it’s not easy to play your best tennis at the beginning”.

“I’m working every day to play my best tennis in every match I’m playing. So far it’s been a great beginning of the year by making the semifinals at the Australian Open and the final at Indian Wells. I know I’m playing well. I know I want to keep having some big results”.