Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Desired Results for Djokovic

Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have liked" during his short-lived tenure guiding his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who concluded his professional career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's staff last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year.

In his first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and a handful of other tournaments.

"You're working with 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 extremely challenging," Murray remarked in an interview.

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

Looking Back at the Period

In retrospect, Murray conveyed that he is glad he undertook the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said.

During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire injured from his clash against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated in 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 definitely 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 involves."

An Intimidating 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 fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "embarrassing."

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

Perspective Regarding the Tennis Tour

The conversation turned to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players.

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his final seasons, had voted against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing 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 worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.

"When you're more exhausted, you're more susceptible 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 taxing than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the quantity of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."