Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Outcomes for Djokovic
Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably didn't get the results I would have liked" during his short-lived tenure coaching his past rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who ended his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's staff last November, but the partnership concluded after only half a year.
In his first-ever position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 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 anticipation was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray said in an interview.
He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."
Looking Back at the Stint
In retrospect, Murray conveyed that he is pleased he took on the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he said.
During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire injured from his contest against Alexander Zverev.
Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced first-round losses in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated 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 certainly a difficult few months for him, but also I think for the team and all of us. I was let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I learned a lot about what coaching involves."
A Challenging Start and Career Reflections
Murray also disclosed an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was told to join Djokovic on a run. He suffered through calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating."
Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray admitted he "could have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.
Opinion About the Tennis Calendar
The conversation shifted to the current tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.
Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his final seasons, had been against 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 mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained.
"When you're more fatigued, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are experiencing 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 quantity of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."