Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Wanted Outcomes for Djokovic
Andy Murray has commented that he "probably didn't get the results I would have liked" during his six-month tenure mentoring his former rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who finalized his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year.
In his debut position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 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 assumption was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview.
He added, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is highly intense."
Reflecting on the Experience
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 compelled to withdraw with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.
Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced early exits 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 noted.
"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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching involves."
A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections
Murray also recounted an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was asked 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 labeled "awkward."
Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray admitted he "should have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.
Views on the Tennis Calendar
The conversation shifted to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.
Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his latter career, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing the increased time on the road would be detrimental to players.
"I don't think there's anything that suggests players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more weary and mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.
"When you're more fatigued, you're more vulnerable 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 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."