Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Targeted Results for Djokovic

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

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

In his first-ever position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open 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 anticipation was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview.

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

Looking Back at the Period

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

During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw injured from his contest against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his return, Djokovic experienced opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before falling 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled.

"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 let down. 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 Career Reflections

Murray also disclosed an story from his first day on the job, when he was invited to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he described as "awkward."

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

Views on the Tennis Calendar

The conversation moved onto the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players.

Murray, who was affected 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 negatively impact players.

"I don't think there's anything that suggests 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 stated.

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