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

Andy Murray has commented that he "probably didn't get the results I would have hoped for" during his six-month tenure coaching his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who finalized his professional career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement dissolved 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 2025 Australian Open 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 assumption was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray remarked in an interview.

He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is highly intense."

Assessing the Period

Looking back, Murray stated that he is happy he undertook the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he observed.

During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out injured from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured opening-round defeats 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 ridiculous tennis in that tournament," Murray said.

"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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching is."

An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections

Murray also shared an story from his first day on the job, when he was told to join Djokovic on a run. He experienced calf cramps so as not to fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "awkward."

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

Views on the Tennis Schedule

The conversation moved onto the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of concern 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, 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 weary and worn out mentally 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 belief 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 amount of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."