Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Desired Results for Djokovic

Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably fell short of the results I would have liked" during his six-month tenure guiding his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his illustrious career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement dissolved after only half a year.

In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and several additional tournaments.

"You're working with not only one of the best tennis players but one of the best athletes of all time, so my anticipation was that it was going to be immensely difficult," Murray noted in an interview.

He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Looking Back at the Period

Upon reflection, Murray stated that he is glad he undertook the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he observed.

During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire due to injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.

Afterwards, upon his return, Djokovic endured early exits 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray noted.

"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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching involves."

A Challenging Start and Career Reflections

Murray also shared 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 fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he described as "awkward."

Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray said he "could have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.

Views on the Tennis Schedule

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

Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his later years, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing the increased time on the road would harm players.

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

"When you're more tired, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My belief is that's what players are sensing 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."