During Novak Djokovic’s second-round triumph at the French Open, keen observers noticed something unusual: two essential pillars of his support squad were missing from his player’s box. While the 24-time Grand Slam champion dispatched Corentin Moutet in straight sets on Court Suzanne Lenglen’s afternoon session, physiotherapist Miljan Amanovic and fitness coach Gephard Gritsch were conspicuously absent from Roland Garros.
The mystery behind their absence soon came to light—Amanovic, who also holds the unique personal role of Djokovic’s godfather, was urgently hospitalized and required surgery. Gritsch stayed by his side, providing crucial support during this challenging time.
Serbian journalist Saša Ozmo shed light on the situation via X, revealing, “Amanovic underwent sinus surgery a few weeks ago, and now a complication has occurred. Specifically, there was a nosebleed that could not be stopped by usual means and had to be treated at the hospital.”
Following his match victory, Djokovic opened up about the ordeal: “Unfortunately, Miljan is in the hospital,” he shared with Sport Klub. “He had a serious situation and an operation. I wouldn’t want to go into more than that. We were all worried. He’s fine at the moment, but not ideal. He has to be in the hospital for a few days. We’re all worried. I hope everything will be fine.”
Amanovic has been a steadfast figure in Djokovic’s corner for over a decade, first joining forces back in 2007. Their professional paths diverged in 2017, when Amanovic stepped away, shortly before enduring a severe heart attack himself.
In an extraordinary tale of survival, Amanovic made a full recovery and soon rejoined Djokovic’s team as his physiotherapist. However, by 2024, he had shifted gears—choosing to focus on family time and a new role at the Novak Djokovic Academy in Belgrade, meaning he no longer traveled with the player regularly.
In Dominic Bliss’ biography “Novak Djokovic: The Greatest of All Time,” Amanovic recounted his harrowing brush with death: “I survived a severe heart attack. I was resuscitated four times. Now I can say that it was God’s will in the true sense of the word, because if only one link in the chain of events had not been in place that day, I would probably have left this earthly life. They say that they fought for me for 40 minutes.”
Despite these setbacks, Amanovic is back on the road with Djokovic this season and is expected to be released from hospital care soon.
Looking back to 2023, Djokovic expressed the profound bond and trust between them: “Miljan is one of the closest people in my life. He has been working a lot these days, always gives his best. I am very grateful to Miljan, it would be a lot harder without him.”
As the Serbian superstar battles on at Roland Garros, the absence of such crucial team members highlights just how much goes on behind the scenes in elite tennis. Amanovic’s health scare serves as a reminder that even the toughest teams face unpredictable hurdles—yet the resilience and close-knit camaraderie in Djokovic’s camp remain unwavering.