Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Outcomes for Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably fell short of the results I would have hoped for" during his brief tenure guiding his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who finalized his professional career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's staff last November, but the collaboration ended after only half a year.

In his debut 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 anticipation was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray remarked in an interview.

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

Looking Back at the Stint

Upon reflection, Murray stated that he is happy he undertook the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said.

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

Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.

"It was regrettable 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 entails."

A Challenging Start and Career Reflections

Murray also disclosed an incident from his first day on the job, when he was asked 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 reflected he "would have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.

Perspective Regarding the Tennis Tour

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

Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his latter career, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, believing 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 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 susceptible to pain and discomfort. My view 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 amount of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."