Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Desired Outcomes for Djokovic

Andy Murray has commented that he "probably didn't get the results I would have liked" during his six-month tenure coaching his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who finalized his illustrious career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, joined Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership concluded after only half a year.

In his first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and three 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 assumption was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray noted in an interview.

He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous."

Assessing the Period

Upon reflection, Murray conveyed that he is happy he accepted the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he said.

During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out due to injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before falling 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 ridiculous tennis in that tournament," Murray said.

"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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I came away wiser about what coaching entails."

An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections

Murray also disclosed an incident from his first day on the job, when he was asked to join Djokovic on a run. He experienced calf cramps so as not to disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "awkward."

Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray reflected he "would have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.

Opinion About the Tennis Tour

The conversation turned to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his latter career, had voted against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying the increased time on the road would be detrimental to 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 explained.

"When you're more exhausted, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My belief is that's what players are experiencing 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."