Tennis

Die Nachricht kam aus heiterem Himmel. Im vergangenen Dezember hatte Novak Djokovic die äußerst erfolgreiche Zusammenarbeit mit Boris Becker nach drei Jahren unerwartet beendet, angeblich in beiderseitigem Einvernehmen - knapp fünf Monate danach machte der zwölffache Grand-Slam-Sieger nun "Tabula rasa": Djokovic (29) trennt sich von seinem gesamten Betreuerteam. Ein Schritt, den er auf seiner Homepage als "Schocktherapie" bezeichnete, und der aus seiner Sicht dringend nötig ist, um sportlich wieder erfolgreicher zu sein.

"I was inspired because I had a lot of players coming up to me privately, wishing me good luck," said Bouchard.

"They were players I don't normally speak to and I got a lot of texts from people in the tennis world that were just rooting for me. I wanted to do it for myself, but also for all these people."

Bouchard will play Angelique Kerber, who is set to replace Serena Williams as world number one, in the third round.

"Some girls in the locker room were coming up to me and really wishing me good luck which doesn't normally happen," added the world number 60.

"It showed me that most people have my opinion and they were just maybe scared to speak out."

Speaking after Sharapova made her return from a ban for the use of meldonium in Stuttgart, Bouchard said: "She's a cheater and I don't think a cheater in any sport should be allowed to play again.

"I think from the WTA it sends the wrong message to young kids: cheat and we'll welcome you back with open arms.

"I don't think that's right and she's not someone I can say I look up to any more."

[...]

"She said 'well played'," said Bouchard. "And I think she's been playing really well in her so-called comeback, if you want to call it that."