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

Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably didn't get the results I would have wanted" during his short-lived tenure coaching his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

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

In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and three 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 assumption was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray said in an interview.

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

Looking Back at the Period

Upon reflection, Murray conveyed that he is glad he undertook the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he commented.

During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic endured opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing 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 said.

"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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I came away wiser about what coaching entails."

An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections

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

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

Opinion About the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his later years, had been 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 fatigued and mentally more fatigued 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 feeling is that's what players are experiencing 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."