One last dance to another: Why Novak Djokovic is playing Tel Aviv doubles with Jonathan Erlich

After being part of Roger Federer’s farewell at the Laver Cup, Novak Djokovic will be part of another last dance at the Tel Aviv Open this week. The 21-time Grand Slam champion is set to team up in doubles with Israeli veteran Jonathan Erlich, the only player with whom Djokovic has won a doubles title in his career. Ad It will 45-year-old Erlich’s final event before he retires.

Laver CupLaver Cup takeaways: Djokovic returns in style, Federer's emotional farewell, Nadal injury worryAN HOUR AGO Who is Jonathan Erlich? Erlich is probably not a familiar name to most tennis fans. He is a doubles specialist who has only played 12 singles matches in his career on the ATP Tour. He has played nearly 900 doubles matches and reached a career-high ranking of No.

5 in 2008. He has won 22 titles, the biggest of which was the Australian Open in 2008 with Andy Ram. His first ATP Tour doubles event was in Newport in 2000 and 10 years later he teamed up with Djokovic to win at Queen’s.

Borg reflects on emotional Federer retirement Henman describes retiring Federer in three words Why is Djokovic playing doubles with Erlich? Djokovic has played doubles at all four Grand Slams as well as the Olympics, but the only tournament he has won was with Erlich. The pair partnered up in 2010 when Djokovic was ranked No. 3 in the world in singles.

It has not been revealed how the partnership came about, but perhaps the connection started at the 2008 Australian Open when Erlich won the doubles title and Djokovic won his first Grand Slam singles title. Djokovic posted a video to confirm he is looking forward to being part of Erlich’s farewell. «I know this is going to be your last tournament,» said the former world No.