Pepe Imaz: “Novak Djokovic has done everything from the heart”

Pepe Imaz (Arnedo, 47 years old), a former tennis player and coach, defines himself as “an imperfect human being with the desire to evolve, grow and be able to share it.” Directs at the Puente Romano Club in Marbella Love peace, a different school that transmits “knowledge through tennis” and that he shares with Marko Djokovic, Novak’s brother, whom he advises spiritually. He also leads a group of players. In AS he explains his methods and talks about the figure and motivations of the number two in the world.

How is your competition group going?

Well, it’s been a few years now, it’s not new. Giraldo and Hantuchova, among others, passed through it. Now I have Carlos Gómez, Mario Vilella and junior and ITF guys.

What is the method?

There is no method. It is about making the boys aware that they are tennis players, but above all people. Depending on winning or losing brings stress. The defeat provokes anger and after the victory one immediately thinks about the next game, which produces anxiety. Here we try to become aware of who we are and treat each other with love and respect. We have to work on the technical, tactical and physical issues. But the priority is to take care of being.

Are there essential principles?

When you are good with yourself, what you do you do better. If you receive a mistake with acceptance, you are in harmony and learn from it. If you don’t accept it, judgment enters, criticism towards yourself and you are tense, angry and not open to learning. Obviously, it does not matter to fail, the success is sought. But don’t go to war against that. It’s not bad, it’s the prelude to learning, a gift, because you can’t learn from what you already know, from what you haven’t internalized, yes. And we call that failure, and it’s a master.

How do they approach competition within the group?

In my experience as a player I saw a lot of pique, envy and friction, especially when you played against someone on your team. All that came from the ego, from the need to show that you were better than the other before others, to get respect and acceptance. If you give yourself that, you won’t depend on others and there will be pre-match and post-match harmony. If we take care of ourselves we will not need the alms that others give us. Although you win and you are better tennis, as a person you are the same. When I won it was like a drunk, I felt haughty because they made me feel like myself. But the real attention and respect is the one you give yourself. This way you play better because you are in harmony, without forgetting the practice.

What do you think about players going to a psychologist, do you equate your work with theirs?

My intention is not to teach a person to be well, because I have my shortcomings, fears and insecurities. I share. I don’t know if you can equate my work with that of a psychologist, because I don’t have his studies, I do have a journey that has included a lot of reading about psychology, energy, being, but not to help others, but out of my own need . I share what literally saved my life, but I don’t consider myself someone who makes people better off. The pandemic has shown us our divine and wonderful shortcomings and has given us the opportunity to observe ourselves and work on them. Some have choked more than others in that process and there are people who have sought help. And I think it’s great. Anything goes.

Are you still in contact with Djokovic about these issues?

Yes, it is also a relationship that has no schedule. It arises when we feel it. When I perceive that I have something to share with him, the door is open and vice versa. He already has an important part of his life in Marbella and that makes us see each other more regularly. In addition, his brother Marko is here, with whom I share a project with children that we export to La Rioja, in collaboration with the federation there. It is one of the activities that we have as a continuity group with the kids who want to continue playing tennis.

How does Nole overcome all the controversies he lives?

As I feel and observe him, everything he has done, he has done with the best intention and desire to help and contribute from the status he has in the world of tennis. He has done it from the heart. Some things have been more successful or less. He is a human being and he learns. For some he was wrong and he lived the criticism and received it with acceptance and learning. He thus he took them better and digested them. He accepted the right to have an opinion of many people, although sometimes we do it too lightly. The information arrives very blurred and is not very close to reality. Still people dare to launch opinions. Having said this, I repeat that everything he has done has been out of a desire to help, not out of interest. Everything he has created has been given to people in need.

What do you think about the matter of your players’ association?

He has life resolved and could not take care of those who do not have it. He gets into trouble thinking of others. It does not mean that the ATP is doing it wrong, but it does mean that more can be done. I am usually with him late in the day, at tournaments, at his house in Monte Carlo or Marbella, and sometimes, when we see each other or talk, he has spent two or three hours meeting to try to improve the situation of his colleagues who do not They have their privileges. He has impressive values, with a tremendous humanity and generosity that he does not want to show. I know of his actions that are not known and are magical, of a wonderful human being for whom we must give thanks. I wish there were more like this (the Ukrainian tennis player Stakhovsky yesterday published some messages in which the Serb offers to help him and his country).

How do you manage to combine that with the ambition you have to be the best?

He has a wonderful balance between wanting to achieve everything in his profession and not forgetting that he is a person and a human being. He gives you energy.

Does he set an example for the children at school?

I try not to use it too much, because the best example is self-respect and acceptance. He is talked about, but the guys have to create their own base so they don’t generate false energy if they think, ‘come on, like Novak.’ That basis consists, above all, in treating each other as human beings.