Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Desired Results with Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably fell short of the results I would have liked" during his brief tenure guiding his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his illustrious career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of 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 2025 Australian Open 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 exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview.

He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is highly intense."

Assessing the Experience

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

During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire due to injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic suffered opening-round defeats 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 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 came away wiser about what coaching entails."

A Challenging Start and Playing Reflections

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

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

Opinion About the Tennis Calendar

The conversation shifted to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players.

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his final seasons, had been 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 weary and psychologically drained 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 truly an issue."