Andy Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Targeted Results for Djokovic
Andy Murray has stated that he "probably didn't get the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure mentoring his former rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who ended his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement concluded after only half a year.
In his debut position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and three 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 expectation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray noted in an interview.
He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous."
Assessing the Stint
Looking back, Murray stated that he is happy he took on the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he observed.
During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw with an injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.
Following that, upon his return, Djokovic suffered 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray said.
"After the injury, it was undoubtedly 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 gained valuable insight about what coaching entails."
An Intimidating Start and Playing Reflections
Murray also recounted an incident 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 described as "embarrassing."
Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray said he "could have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.
Opinion About the Tennis Calendar
The conversation turned to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players.
Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his later years, 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 indicates players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more tired and psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray stated.
"When you're more tired, you're more vulnerable 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 taxing than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the quantity of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."
