Andy Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Desired Outcomes for Djokovic

Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably fell short of the results I would have wanted" during his short-lived tenure coaching his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who finalized his illustrious career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement dissolved 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 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 assumption was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray said in an interview.

He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous."

Looking Back at the Stint

Upon reflection, Murray conveyed that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he commented.

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

Following that, upon his return, Djokovic endured 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 ridiculous 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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I came away wiser about what coaching involves."

An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections

Murray also recounted an anecdote 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 called "embarrassing."

Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray admitted he "should have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.

Opinion About the Tennis Tour

The conversation shifted to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of debate 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 be detrimental to 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 fatigued, 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 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."