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

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably didn't get the results I would have wanted" during his six-month tenure guiding his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

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

In his maiden position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and a handful of 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 expectation was that it was going to be immensely difficult," Murray remarked in an interview.

He added, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous."

Reflecting on the Stint

In retrospect, Murray conveyed that he is happy he took on the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed.

During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out with an injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his return, Djokovic endured first-round losses 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 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 disappointed. 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 story 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 one—a moment he called "embarrassing."

Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.

Views on the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his latter career, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing 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 weary and worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray stated.

"When you're more tired, you're more susceptible 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 demanding than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the quantity of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."