Andy Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Wanted Results with Djokovic
Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have hoped for" during his short-lived tenure guiding his former rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who ended his illustrious career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, joined Djokovic's team last November, but the collaboration ended after only half a year.
In his first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and several additional 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 perfectionist in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is highly intense."
Reflecting on the Stint
In retrospect, Murray expressed that he is pleased he accepted the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he said.
During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.
Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic suffered opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated 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 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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching involves."
An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections
Murray also shared 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 fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating."
Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray admitted he "could have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.
Opinion About the Tennis Schedule
The conversation turned to the current tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players.
Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his final seasons, had voted against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying the increased time on the road would harm players.
"I don't think there's anything that indicates 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 stated.
"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 taxing than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the volume of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."