Andy Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Desired Results with Djokovic

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

Murray, who ended his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement ended after only half a year.

In his first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and three 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 assumption was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray noted in an interview.

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

Looking Back at the Period

In retrospect, Murray stated that he is pleased he accepted the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he commented.

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

Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced first-round losses in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before falling 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 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 gained valuable insight about what coaching is."

A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also disclosed an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was invited 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 "embarrassing."

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

Views on the Tennis Calendar

The conversation shifted to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his final seasons, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying the increased time on the road would negatively impact players.

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

"When you're more tired, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My belief is that's what players are feeling now, just being away for longer.

"I don't think the matches are so much more grueling than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the quantity of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."