Andy Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Outcomes with Djokovic

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

Murray, who finalized his playing 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 coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and several additional 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 assumption was that it was going to be immensely difficult," Murray noted in an interview.

He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Reflecting on the Period

Looking back, Murray expressed that he is happy he accepted the role. "It's an unforgettable 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 forced to retire due to injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic endured early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.

"It was unfortunate what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play ridiculous tennis in that tournament," Murray said.

"After the injury, it was certainly 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 came away wiser about what coaching involves."

A Challenging Start and Career Reflections

Murray also shared an incident 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 reflected he "could have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.

Opinion About the Tennis Schedule

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

Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his final seasons, had been against 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 suggests 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 explained.

"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 quantity of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."