Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Outcomes with Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who finalized his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the collaboration 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 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 assumption was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray said in an interview.

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

Assessing the Experience

Looking back, Murray expressed that he is happy he took on the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he commented.

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

Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic suffered first-round losses in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.

"It was a shame what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play ridiculous tennis in that tournament," Murray noted.

"After the injury, it was definitely a difficult few months for him, but also I think for the team and all of us. I was let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching entails."

A Demanding 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 let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "awkward."

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

Views on the Tennis Tour

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 voted against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing 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 fatigued and mentally more fatigued 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 view 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 quantity of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."