Andy Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Results for Djokovic
Andy Murray has commented that he "probably fell short of the results I would have liked" during his brief tenure coaching his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who concluded his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the collaboration 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 a handful of other tournaments.
"The role involves 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 demanding individual in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is highly intense."
Looking Back at the Experience
In retrospect, Murray expressed that he is happy he took on the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he commented.
During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw injured from his match against Alexander Zverev.
Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured opening-round defeats 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 sensational 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 came away wiser about what coaching is."
A Demanding Start and Career Reflections
Murray also disclosed an anecdote 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 fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he described as "humiliating."
Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray said he "would have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.
Opinion About the Tennis Calendar
The conversation turned to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players.
Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his final seasons, had voted against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 weary and worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray stated.
"When you're more fatigued, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My feeling is that's what players are feeling 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."