Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Targeted Outcomes with Djokovic

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

Murray, who finalized his professional career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year.

In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and several additional tournaments.

"The role involves 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 challenging character in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous."

Looking Back at the Experience

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

During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before falling in the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.

"It was regrettable what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play sensational tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled.

"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 gained valuable insight about what coaching is."

A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also shared an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was asked 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 called "humiliating."

Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray admitted he "would 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 modern tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.

Murray, who was affected 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 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 commented.

"When you're more fatigued, you're more susceptible 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 demanding 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."