Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Wanted Results with Djokovic
Andy Murray has commented that he "probably didn't get the results I would have wanted" during his short-lived tenure guiding his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who concluded his professional career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement concluded after only half a year.
In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered 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 expectation was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview.
He added, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is highly intense."
Reflecting on the Period
Upon reflection, Murray stated that he is happy he took on the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he commented.
During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw due to injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.
Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced first-round losses 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 recalled.
"After the injury, it was undoubtedly 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 involves."
An Intimidating Start and Playing Reflections
Murray also disclosed an incident from his first day on the job, when he was invited to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "awkward."
Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray admitted he "could have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.
Perspective Regarding the Tennis Calendar
The conversation turned to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of concern 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 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 fatigued and psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.
"When you're more tired, you're more vulnerable 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 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."
