Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Outcomes with Djokovic
Andy Murray has commented that he "probably didn't get the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure mentoring his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who concluded his professional career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's staff last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year.
In his debut position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray partnered 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 demanding individual in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."
Assessing the Stint
In retrospect, Murray expressed that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said.
During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out with an injury from his contest against Alexander Zverev.
Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced early exits 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 is."
An Intimidating Start and Playing Reflections
Murray also disclosed an incident from his first day on the job, when he was invited 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 remarkable playing career, Murray said he "could have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.
Perspective Regarding the Tennis Tour
The conversation turned to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.
Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his latter career, 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 suggests players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more weary and psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray stated.
"When you're more tired, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My feeling is that's what players are experiencing 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."