Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Results for Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably didn't get the results I would have liked" during his brief tenure coaching his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year.

In his first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and three other tournaments.

"The role involves 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 extremely challenging," Murray noted in an interview.

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

Reflecting on the Period

Looking back, Murray stated that he is glad he took on 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 forced to retire with an injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured first-round losses in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.

"It was unfortunate what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray said.

"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 Demanding Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also recounted an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was asked to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "awkward."

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

Opinion About the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his final seasons, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, believing 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 tired and mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.

"When you're more tired, you're more vulnerable 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."