Andy Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Wanted Results with Djokovic
Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have hoped for" during his six-month tenure coaching his former rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who finalized his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the collaboration concluded after only half a year.
In his maiden position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and a handful of other tournaments.
"You're working with not only one of the best tennis players but one of the best athletes of all time, so my expectation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray noted in an interview.
He added, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous."
Assessing the Stint
Looking back, Murray expressed that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he commented.
During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire injured from his clash against Alexander Zverev.
Afterwards, upon his return, Djokovic endured early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated in the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.
"It was a shame what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray said.
"After the injury, it was certainly a difficult few months for him, but also I think for the team and all of us. I was disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I came away wiser about what coaching is."
An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections
Murray also recounted an incident from his first day on the job, when he was invited to join Djokovic on a run. He suffered through calf cramps so as not to disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he described as "awkward."
Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray said he "could have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.
Views on the Tennis Schedule
The conversation shifted to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players.
Murray, who was affected by injuries in his later years, had voted against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying the increased time on the road would harm players.
"I don't think there's anything that shows players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more tired and worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained.
"When you're more tired, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are sensing now, just being away for longer.
"I don't think the matches are so much more grueling than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the amount of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."