Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Wanted Results for Djokovic
Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably didn't get the results I would have hoped for" during his six-month tenure coaching his former rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who ended his professional career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the collaboration concluded after only half a year.
In his maiden position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and several additional tournaments.
"You're working with not only one of the best tennis players but one of the best athletes of all time, so my anticipation was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview.
He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is highly intense."
Looking Back at the Period
Upon reflection, Murray stated that he is happy he accepted the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed.
During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw injured from his clash against Alexander Zverev.
Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated 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 said.
"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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching involves."
An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections
Murray also disclosed an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was told to join Djokovic on a run. He suffered through calf cramps so as not to fail his fellow former world number oneâa moment he called "humiliating."
Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.
Perspective Regarding the Tennis Tour
The conversation moved onto the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.
Murray, who was affected by injuries in his final seasons, had opposed 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 tired and worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray stated.
"When you're more fatigued, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My belief 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 actually an issue."
