Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Outcomes for Djokovic

Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably didn't get the results I would have liked" during his short-lived tenure mentoring his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who concluded his professional career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement ended 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 three other tournaments.

"The role involves coaching 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 immensely difficult," Murray noted in an interview.

He added, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Looking Back at the Stint

Upon reflection, Murray conveyed that he is happy he undertook the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he commented.

During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out due to 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 sensational tennis in that tournament," Murray said.

"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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I learned a lot about what coaching entails."

A Demanding Start and Career Reflections

Murray also recounted an incident 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 let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he described as "embarrassing."

Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray said he "would have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.

Perspective Regarding the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his final seasons, had been 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 shows players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more weary and mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained.

"When you're more exhausted, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My belief is that's what players are experiencing 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 truly an issue."