Andy Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Targeted Results for Djokovic
Andy Murray has commented that he "probably fell short of the results I would have wanted" during his short-lived tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who ended his illustrious career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the arrangement ended after only half a year.
In his first-ever 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 a handful of 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 exceptionally tough," Murray remarked in an interview.
He added, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."
Reflecting on the Stint
Upon reflection, Murray conveyed that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he observed.
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 clash against Alexander Zverev.
Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic suffered early exits 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 said.
"After the injury, it was definitely a difficult few months for him, but also I think for the team and all of us. I was disappointed. 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 Career Reflections
Murray also recounted an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was asked to join Djokovic on a run. He experienced calf cramps so as not to disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating."
Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray reflected he "could have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.
Opinion About the Tennis Schedule
The conversation turned to the current tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.
Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his later years, had voted against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing 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 explained.
"When you're more exhausted, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are experiencing 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."
