Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Outcomes for Djokovic

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray
Novak Djokovic won 25 victories out of 36 encounters against his fierce competitor Andy Murray.

Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his six-month tenure guiding his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his professional career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the arrangement concluded after only half a year.

In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up 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 assumption was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray said in an interview.

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

Reflecting on the Stint

Upon reflection, Murray stated that he is happy he accepted the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said.

During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw due to injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced early exits 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 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 learned a lot about what coaching involves."

A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also recounted an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was asked to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "awkward."

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

Opinion About the Tennis Schedule

The conversation moved onto the current tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his final seasons, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying the increased time on the road would be detrimental to players.

"I don't think there's anything that shows players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more tired and mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray stated.

"When you're more fatigued, you're more sensitive 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 grueling than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the amount of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."

Robert Wright
Robert Wright

A digital strategist with over a decade of experience in data-driven marketing and conversion optimization.