Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Wanted Results for Djokovic
Andy Murray has stated that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure coaching his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who concluded his professional career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the arrangement dissolved after only half a year.
In his first-ever position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and a handful of other tournaments.
"The role involves coaching 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 continued, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous."
Assessing the Period
In retrospect, Murray stated that he is happy he took on the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he commented.
During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire due to injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.
Afterwards, upon his return, 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled.
"After the injury, it was definitely 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 learned a lot about what coaching is."
A Challenging Start and Playing Reflections
Murray also shared an story from his first day on the job, when he was asked to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "embarrassing."
Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray said he "could have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.
Opinion About the Tennis Schedule
The conversation shifted to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players.
Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his final seasons, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, believing the increased time on the road would harm players.
"I don't think there's anything that indicates players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more fatigued and worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray stated.
"When you're more tired, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are feeling now, just being away for longer.
"I don't think the matches are so much more demanding than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the quantity of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."
