Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Wanted Results with Djokovic

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

Murray, who finalized his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership concluded 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 several additional tournaments.

"You're working with 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 went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Reflecting on the Period

Looking back, Murray expressed that he is glad he took on the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed.

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

Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before falling in the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.

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

"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 came away wiser 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 asked to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "awkward."

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

Opinion About the Tennis Schedule

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

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his later years, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, believing the increased time on the road would harm players.

"I don't think there's anything that shows players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more fatigued and psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.

"When you're more fatigued, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My feeling 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 amount of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."