Goran Ivanisevic coached Tomáš Berdych from August 2016 to June 2017. The partnership began just weeks after Ivanisevic's split with Marin Čilić following Wimbledon 2016, and ended after Berdych's early exit at the 2017 French Open.
The Appointment — August 2016
On 8 August 2016, Tomáš Berdych announced via social media that Ivanisevic would begin coaching him starting at the 2016 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati. The timing came only weeks after Ivanisevic had parted ways with Marin Čilić following the 2016 Wimbledon Championships, where Čilić lost a five-set quarter-final to Roger Federer having led two sets to none.
Berdych was ranked 10th in the world at the time of the announcement — a consistent top-10 player and former Wimbledon finalist (2010) who had never won a Grand Slam title. Ivanisevic's grass-court expertise and serve coaching credentials made him an attractive fit for a player whose serve was a central weapon.
Goran brings enormous experience and a winner's mentality. I'm looking forward to working together and developing my game further.
Results During the Coaching Period
The partnership covered the end of the 2016 season and the full 2017 season through the French Open. Berdych maintained his position in the top 10 during this period but did not win a major title under Ivanisevic's guidance.
The most notable result during their time together was Berdych's run to the quarter-finals at the 2017 Australian Open, where he lost to Roger Federer in five sets. At the 2017 French Open, Berdych lost in the second round to unseeded Karen Khachanov — a result that proved to be the end of the coaching partnership.
| Tournament | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | 2017 | Quarter-final (lost to Federer) |
| Wimbledon | 2016 | Quarter-final (played before partnership began officially) |
| French Open | 2017 | 2nd round (lost to Khachanov — final match together) |
Split — June 2017
Shortly after Berdych's second-round loss to the unseeded Karen Khachanov at Roland Garros in June 2017, the 14th-ranked Czech player fired Ivanisevic. The partnership had lasted approximately ten months. No detailed public explanation was given by either party at the time.
Ivanisevic went on to work with Miloš Raonic in 2018, before joining Novak Djokovic's coaching team in 2019 — the role that defined his coaching career. Berdych retired from professional tennis in 2019.