World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has parted company with his longtime agent and business manager, Edoardo Artaldi as reported by Serbian journalist Sasa Ozmo.
Artaldi, an Italian, is one of the key pillars in Djokovic's corner. He has worked with the Serbian star since 2008, shortly after he won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Djokovic signed with clothing brand Sergio Tacchini, in which he became fond of Artaldi who worked with the famous clothing apparel at the time.
Artaldi and his wife Elena Capellaro, soon became the managers of Djokovic after the 36-year-old moved on from his sponsorship alliance. And the Italian couple oversaw the most successful years of Novak Djokovic's career, in which he won 23 Grand Slams in the past 12 years, including this year's US Open which was his 24th major - the most of any player in the Open Era.
Tennis analyst Gill Gross broke the news on X (formerly known as Twitter), which was confirmed by Sasa Ozmo, a prominent Serbian journalist with close links to Djokovic. Ozmo, however, there is the likelihood Artladi will occupy a different role in the team, but acknowledges the strenuous nature of the sport could spell the end of their partnership on the ATP Tour.
"Can confirm this. It remains to be seen whether they stay on the team in different roles, but it’s a stressful job, as you can imagine."
Djokovic's relationship with Artaldi extends far beyond the professional spectrum. Back in 2019, the veteran Italian manager described the unconstrained relationship that they share with Djokovic, adding that he's always been a family figure in Djokovic's camp given how much the player misses his family while traveling during tennis tournaments.
"We live together 24/7 and these nine years together have been really intense. Sometimes we even pull each others’ ears. We basically live together. Elena (Cappellaro) and I try to create the atmosphere he needs, given how much time he spends around the world and away from his family."
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