Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Wanted Results with Djokovic
Andy Murray has commented that he "probably didn't get the results I would have hoped for" during his short-lived tenure coaching his past rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who concluded his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the partnership ended after only half a year.
In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 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 expectation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray said in an interview.
He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."
Reflecting on the Experience
Looking back, Murray stated that he is glad he undertook the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he observed.
During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw injured from his clash against Alexander Zverev.
Afterwards, upon his return, Djokovic suffered first-round losses in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated in the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.
"It was a shame what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play extraordinary 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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching entails."
An Intimidating 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 endured calf cramps so as not to fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he described as "awkward."
Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray admitted he "could have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.
Perspective Regarding the Tennis Calendar
The conversation moved onto the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.
Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his final seasons, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing the increased time on the road would negatively impact players.
"I don't think there's anything that shows 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 vulnerable 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 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."