Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Desired Results with Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably didn't get the results I would have liked" during his six-month tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his illustrious career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's team last November, but the collaboration dissolved after only half a year.

In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and a handful of 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 expectation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray remarked 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."

Assessing the Period

Looking back, Murray stated that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he commented.

During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced early exits 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 ridiculous 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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I came away wiser about what coaching involves."

A Challenging Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also disclosed an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was invited to join Djokovic on a run. He experienced calf cramps so as not to disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "embarrassing."

Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray said he "could have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.

Perspective Regarding the Tennis Calendar

The conversation moved onto the modern tennis calendar, a topic of discussion 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, arguing the increased time on the road would harm 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 explained.

"When you're more tired, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My feeling is that's what players are experiencing now, just being away for longer.

"I don't think the matches are so much more demanding than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the amount of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."