Patrick Mouratoglou believes Novak Djokovic is now 'really beatable'

Patrick Mouratoglou has revealed he believes 23-time major champion Novak Djokovic is now “really beatable” in big matches because of “the weight of history.”

The Frenchman, a former coach of Serena Williams, feels being the “ultimate favourite all the time” must be a “burden” for the Serbian following his Wimbledon final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz.

Djokovic fell in five sets to world No 1 Alcaraz in last week’s Wimbledon final – his first loss in a completed match at the All England Club since 2016, and on Centre Court since 2013.

The 36-year-old was looking to equal Roger Federer’s Wimbledon record of eight men’s singles titles and tie Federer and Borg’s feat of five straight triumphs at the event.

Victory would have also seen the world No 2 claim the third leg of a potential Calendar Grand Slam, after he won the Australian Open and French Open titles this year.

Mouratoglou identified the mental dynamic as the reason Alcaraz prevailed over Djokovic in the championship match.

“The reason why Carlos won the Wimbledon final, I believe is because he felt free to go for his shots in the big moments and Novak didn’t. It was a very mental match and both of the guys get tense,” explained the Frenchman in a video posted on his Instagram account.

“I mean a Grand Slam final has to be mental, for sure. And I think the best image is this tiebreak in the second set, and he (Djokovic) has this backhand and he hits the net. He could have killed the match and he didn’t.

“We can say the same for Carlos, he was two sets to one up and he had these two break points at the start of the fourth. And Novak is really super down at that time, and he (Alcaraz) doesn’t make them either.

“But at the end, if you put Novak in the perspective of where Carlos is now, Novak would have done the same. Playing like the underdog and playing unbelievable in the big moments.”

The 53-year-old, who currently coaches world No 6 Holger Rune, suggested that the pressure of chasing records and making history is affecting Djokovic.

“I think in the situation he is now, he is really beatable in those matches because of the weight of history. I feel that being this ultimate favourite all the time and playing for history – it has to be a burden. I don’t think Carlos has an edge on Novak,” continued Mouratoglou.

“I think, he beat him in a Grand Slam final, Novak beat him in Roland Garros. So I think both players are very close in terms of level. I think Novak can play much better than what he he did in the final. I think he was very nervous. He has to be able to play more free.”