Andy Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Desired Results for Djokovic

Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably fell short of the results I would have hoped for" during his short-lived tenure coaching his former 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 concluded after only half a year.

In his first-ever position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and three 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 said in an interview.

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

Reflecting on the Period

Upon reflection, Murray expressed that he is pleased he accepted the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he observed.

During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire injured from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic endured first-round losses 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 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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I learned a lot about what coaching is."

An Intimidating Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also shared an story 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 let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he described as "humiliating."

Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray reflected he "should have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.

Opinion About the Tennis Tour

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

Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his final seasons, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, believing 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 tired and worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.

"When you're more fatigued, you're more sensitive 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."