Andy Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Desired Outcomes for Djokovic

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

Murray, who concluded his illustrious career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year.

In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and several additional tournaments.

"You're working with 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 immensely difficult," Murray remarked in an interview.

He added, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is highly intense."

Assessing the Period

Looking back, Murray conveyed that he is pleased he took on the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said.

During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire due to injury from his contest against Alexander Zverev.

Afterwards, upon his return, Djokovic suffered opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated 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 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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I came away wiser about what coaching entails."

An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections

Murray also disclosed an story from his first day on the job, when he was invited to join Djokovic on a run. He suffered through calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "awkward."

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

Perspective Regarding the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his final seasons, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, believing 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 worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray stated.

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