Andy Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Targeted Outcomes for Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have hoped for" during his six-month tenure mentoring his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, joined Djokovic's staff last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year.

In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 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 anticipation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray said 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."

Reflecting on the Experience

Looking back, Murray conveyed that he is happy he accepted the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he commented.

During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw injured from his contest against Alexander Zverev.

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

An Intimidating Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also disclosed an story 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 "humiliating."

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

Views on the Tennis Schedule

The conversation moved onto the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players.

Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his final seasons, had opposed 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 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 stated.

"When you're more exhausted, you're more vulnerable 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."