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

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably fell short of the results I would have wanted" during his six-month tenure coaching his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

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

In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and several additional tournaments.

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

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

Assessing the Stint

Looking back, Murray conveyed that he is happy he took on the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said.

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

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

"It was regrettable what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play extraordinary 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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching is."

A Challenging Start and Career Reflections

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

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

Perspective Regarding the Tennis Schedule

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

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his later years, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 weary and mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained.

"When you're more fatigued, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are feeling 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."