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

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

Murray, who finalized his illustrious career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement ended after only half a year.

In his first-ever position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and a handful of other 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 expectation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray remarked in an interview.

He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Looking Back at the Stint

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

During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw with an injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, 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 undoubtedly 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 learned a lot about what coaching entails."

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 experienced calf cramps so as not to disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he described as "humiliating."

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

Views on the Tennis Tour

The conversation moved onto the modern tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players.

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his final seasons, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing 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 tired 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 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 demanding than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the quantity of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."