Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Desired Results with Djokovic
Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his short-lived tenure guiding his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who concluded his illustrious career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, joined Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement dissolved after only half a year.
In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and three other tournaments.
"It's a job coaching not only one of the best tennis players but one of the best athletes of all time, so my anticipation was that it was going to be immensely difficult," Murray remarked in an interview.
He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."
Reflecting on the Stint
In retrospect, Murray stated that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he commented.
During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire injured from his match against Alexander Zverev.
Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic suffered early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before falling in the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.
"It was unfortunate what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play sensational tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled.
"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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I learned a lot about what coaching involves."
An Intimidating Start and Playing Reflections
Murray also recounted an anecdote 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 called "humiliating."
Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray reflected he "could have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.
Opinion About the Tennis Schedule
The conversation moved onto the modern tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players.
Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his later years, had voted against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing the increased time on the road would negatively impact players.
"I don't think there's anything that suggests players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more tired and mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained.
"When you're more fatigued, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My feeling is that's what players are feeling now, just being away for longer.
"I don't think the matches are so much more taxing than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the amount of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."
