Andy Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Wanted Results for Djokovic

Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably fell short of the results I would have liked" during his six-month tenure guiding his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who concluded his professional career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership ended after only half a year.

In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and three other tournaments.

"It's a job 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 exceptionally tough," Murray remarked in an interview.

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

Assessing the Experience

In retrospect, Murray conveyed that he is glad he took on the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he commented.

During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw with an injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced 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 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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching is."

A Challenging Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also disclosed an incident from his first day on the job, when he was told to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating."

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

Views on the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his latter career, had been against 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 fatigued and psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.

"When you're more fatigued, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My belief is that's what players are sensing 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 amount of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."