Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Desired Results with Djokovic
Andy Murray has stated that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his short-lived tenure mentoring his former rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who ended his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership concluded after only half a year.
In his maiden position as a coach, 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 expectation 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."
Reflecting on the Period
Upon reflection, Murray stated that he is pleased he accepted the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed.
During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out due to injury from his contest against Alexander Zverev.
Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured early exits 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled.
"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."
An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections
Murray also shared an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was invited 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 savour his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.
Opinion About the Tennis Schedule
The conversation shifted to the current tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players.
Murray, who was affected by injuries in his later years, had voted 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 psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.
"When you're more tired, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My feeling is that's what players are sensing 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."
