Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Wanted Outcomes with Djokovic

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

Murray, who concluded his illustrious career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement ended after only half a year.

In his maiden 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.

"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 extremely challenging," Murray remarked in an interview.

He added, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Looking Back at the Period

In retrospect, Murray conveyed that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he observed.

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

Afterwards, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced first-round losses 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 ridiculous 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 came away wiser about what coaching is."

An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections

Murray also recounted 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 disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "awkward."

Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray admitted he "could have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.

Perspective Regarding the Tennis Schedule

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

Murray, who was plagued 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 negatively impact 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 worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray stated.

"When you're more exhausted, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My view 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."