Novak Djokovic identifies Grand Slam winner as Boris Becker 'replacement' – report

Novak Djokovic continues his search for a full time coach ahead of the 2017 season following his split with Boris Becker earlier in the month. The Serb ended their fruitful three-year partnership and has reportedly stepped up his search in recent weeks.

Marian Vajda, who has been Djokovic's long-time coach, will be part of the coaching team, but is unlikely to travel with Djokovic for all the tournaments, which makes it paramount for the former world number one to find a more permanent solution in terms of a full time coach. According to Serbian publication Telegraf, he is looking closer to home to recruit his next coach and it is believed that it could be former doubles world number one Nedad Zimonjic.

The two longtime friends have competed together on a number of occasions in doubles including the Olympic Games in Rio and London, and Davis Cup matches for Serbia. Zimonjic has won eight Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed doubles during his career and was the world's top ranked men's doubles player in 2008.

Djokovic believes his compatriot's experience at the top level can help him get back to winning ways and reclaim the world number one ranking, which he lost to Andy Murray in the latter stages of the 2016 season. The 12-time Grand Slam champion won just one tournament following his win at the French Open in June, and was overtaken by the Scot as the top ranked player in November following his quarter-final loss to Marin Cilic at the Paris Masters.

Vajda is likely to begin the season as Djokovic's main coach, before the Serb identifies a replacement for Becker. The former world number one seems to have started practicing for the 2017 campaign after Andrea Seppi posted a video of the two players playing at the Monte Carlo Country Club on Sunday (11 December).