Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Desired Outcomes with Djokovic
Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably fell short of the results I would have hoped for" during his six-month tenure coaching his past rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who ended his illustrious career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the partnership concluded after only half a year.
In his maiden 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.
"You're working with 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 extremely challenging," Murray said in an interview.
He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is highly intense."
Reflecting on the Period
Looking back, Murray stated that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he said.
During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire due to injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.
Following that, 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 unfortunate what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled.
"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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching is."
A Challenging Start and Playing Reflections
Murray also shared an story from his first day on the job, when he was told to join Djokovic on a run. He experienced calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "humiliating."
Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray said he "would have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.
Perspective Regarding the Tennis Schedule
The conversation turned to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players.
Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his later years, had opposed 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 fatigued and mentally more fatigued 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 sensing 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 quantity of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."
