Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Results with Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably fell short of the results I would have hoped for" during his brief tenure guiding his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who finalized his illustrious career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year.

In his first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and a handful of 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 exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview.

He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Looking Back at the Period

Upon reflection, Murray expressed that he is pleased he accepted the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he commented.

During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out due to injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured first-round losses in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing 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 involves."

An Intimidating 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 endured calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "humiliating."

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

Opinion About the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his latter career, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing the increased time on the road would be detrimental to 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 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 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 amount of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."