Andy Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Outcomes with Djokovic

Andy Murray has commented that he "probably fell short of the results I would have liked" during his brief 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 arrangement ended 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 Australian Open in 2025 and several additional 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 anticipation was that it was going to be immensely difficult," Murray remarked in an interview.

He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Assessing the Period

Looking back, Murray expressed that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an unforgettable 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 due to injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic endured early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing 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 undoubtedly 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 Career Reflections

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

Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray reflected he "should have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.

Perspective Regarding the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his later years, had voted against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying the increased time on the road would negatively impact players.

"I don't think there's anything that shows 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 explained.

"When you're more tired, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are sensing now, just being away for longer.

"I don't think the matches are so much more grueling than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the volume of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."