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

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his six-month tenure coaching his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.

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

In his debut position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and three other tournaments.

"It's a job coaching not only one of the best tennis players but one of the best athletes of all time, so my assumption was that it was going to be immensely difficult," Murray noted in an interview.

He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is highly intense."

Reflecting on the Period

Looking back, Murray stated that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said.

During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out with an injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his return, Djokovic endured early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated 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 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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I learned a lot about what coaching is."

A Challenging Start and Playing Reflections

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

Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray admitted he "could have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.

Perspective Regarding the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his latter career, had voted 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 suggests players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more tired 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 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."