Andy Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Targeted Outcomes with Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have liked" during his six-month tenure coaching his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who concluded his professional career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the collaboration dissolved after only half a year.

In his first-ever 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 three other tournaments.

"You're working with 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 remarked in an interview.

He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is highly intense."

Reflecting on the Period

Looking back, Murray expressed that he is happy he undertook the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he observed.

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

Afterwards, upon his return, Djokovic experienced opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing 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 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 disappointed. 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 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 let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "awkward."

Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray reflected he "should have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.

Opinion About the Tennis Schedule

The conversation turned to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players.

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his later years, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 tired and mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray stated.

"When you're more exhausted, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are experiencing 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."