Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Wanted Outcomes for Djokovic

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

Murray, who ended his professional career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, joined Djokovic's team last November, but the collaboration dissolved after only half a year.

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

"You're working with 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 exceptionally tough," Murray said in an interview.

He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is highly intense."

Reflecting on the Stint

Looking back, 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 beat Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out with an injury from his contest against Alexander Zverev.

Afterwards, upon his return, Djokovic endured opening-round defeats 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 noted.

"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 learned a lot about what coaching entails."

A Demanding Start and Career Reflections

Murray also disclosed an story 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 disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "awkward."

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

Perspective Regarding the Tennis Tour

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

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his latter career, had opposed 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 indicates players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more weary and worn out mentally 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 belief is that's what players are feeling 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."