Novak Djokovic has confirmed that hitting partner Carlos Gomez Herrera will have a new role in the team for the 2024 season while appointing new faces to his backroom team.
Understandably, Djokovic's reshuffle of his backroom team has been driven by his desire to enhance his brand beyond tennis. That is why he took the first move to part ways with his longtime business agents, Edoardo Artaldi and Elena Capellaro, towards the end of last season.
The duo, who are an Italian couple, had been with Djokovic for over a decade and overseeing all but one of the Serb's Grand Slam triumphs along with a multitude of tennis accomplishments. Djokovic announced at the time he was making a transition and opening a "new chapter" in his life.
Over the next few months, Djokovic's fans have been in the loop with the latest developments. Although he explained that he hadn't "made up" his mind to name a new agent last November, British business advisor Mark Madden has shouldered that responsibility.
At his Australian Open pre-tournament press conference, Djokovic revealed to Serbian media of some key changes to his personnel, including assigning his hitting partner Carlos Gomez Herrera, a former ATP pro, a new role in the team.
The Spaniard is now Djokovic's official team manager as revealed in the press, which has been verified by Tennis Majors. He will work in tandem with Madden. Djokovic also added that Gomez Herrera will still continue to serve the role of assistant coach on the tennis side of things, but that will be his secondary job.
"Yes, Charly (Carlos Gomez Herrera) is now my team manager, let’s say. He is still part of the team as an assistant coach, but this new role is now his main job. He is doing excellent work, although he doesn’t have much experience. Charly is extremely dedicated and a fast-learner, so he already made strides."
"Apart from that, he is my very good friend, a person I can completely trust and lean on. I feel that he complements my manager Mark Madden really well."
Madden was spotted in Djokovic's camp for most tennis tournaments last season and accompanied the Serb to the all-star celebrity-filled Ryder Cup match last year.
Djokovic also stated there are more additions to the backroom team, but it was reported that his coaching team, which is spearheaded by Croatia's Goran Ivanisevic, fitness coach Marco Panichi, and physiotherapists Miljan Amanovic and Claudio Zimaglia, would remain unchanged.
"Right behind you, guys, Electra is sitting – another person that’s now part of our manager, branding team. Some other people will join us too. Not everybody will travel with me all the time, but at Grand Slams – where there are a lot of commitments and obligations – we want to have a full roster, so to say."
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