🔗 Share this article Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Desired Outcomes with Djokovic Novak Djokovic secured 25 victories out of 36 matches against his fierce competitor Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably didn't get the results I would have hoped for" during his short-lived tenure coaching his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who ended his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership concluded 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 Australian Open in 2025 and several additional 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 exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview. He added, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Assessing the Stint Looking back, Murray stated that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed. During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Following that, upon his return, Djokovic suffered 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray noted. "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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching is." An Intimidating Start and Playing Reflections Murray also shared an story from his first day on the job, when he was asked to join Djokovic on a run. He suffered through calf cramps so as not to fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "embarrassing." Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray reflected he "could have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic victories. Perspective Regarding the Tennis Tour The conversation turned to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his latter career, 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 fatigued, you're more vulnerable 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 taxing than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the quantity of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."
Novak Djokovic secured 25 victories out of 36 matches against his fierce competitor Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably didn't get the results I would have hoped for" during his short-lived tenure coaching his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who ended his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership concluded 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 Australian Open in 2025 and several additional 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 exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview. He added, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Assessing the Stint Looking back, Murray stated that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed. During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Following that, upon his return, Djokovic suffered 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray noted. "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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching is." An Intimidating Start and Playing Reflections Murray also shared an story from his first day on the job, when he was asked to join Djokovic on a run. He suffered through calf cramps so as not to fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "embarrassing." Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray reflected he "could have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic victories. Perspective Regarding the Tennis Tour The conversation turned to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his latter career, 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 fatigued, you're more vulnerable 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 taxing than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the quantity of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."