Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Wanted Outcomes for Djokovic

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

Murray, who concluded his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the partnership concluded after only half a year.

In his first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open 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 expectation was that it was going to be immensely difficult," Murray noted in an interview.

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

Assessing the Experience

Upon reflection, Murray conveyed that he is glad he undertook the role. "It's an amazing 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 with an injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Afterwards, upon his return, Djokovic endured opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.

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

"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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I came away wiser about what coaching entails."

A Challenging 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 suffered through calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "humiliating."

Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray admitted he "could 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 debate among top players.

Murray, who was hindered 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 be detrimental to 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 psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray stated.

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