Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Wanted Results with Djokovic

Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his short-lived tenure coaching his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who concluded 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 position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and a handful of 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 anticipation was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray said in an interview.

He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is highly intense."

Assessing the Experience

Upon reflection, Murray conveyed that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said.

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.

Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic endured early exits 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled.

"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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I came away wiser about what coaching is."

An Intimidating Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also disclosed an anecdote 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 "embarrassing."

Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.

Views on the Tennis Tour

The conversation shifted to the current tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his latter career, 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 suggests players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more weary and psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained.

"When you're more exhausted, you're more sensitive 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 taxing than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the quantity of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."