Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Desired Outcomes with Djokovic

Andy Murray has commented that he "probably didn't get the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure coaching his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, joined Djokovic's staff last November, but the arrangement dissolved after only half a year.

In his debut position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and a handful of other tournaments.

"You're working with not only one of the best tennis players but one of the best athletes of all time, so my expectation was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview.

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

Reflecting on the Period

Upon reflection, Murray conveyed that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he commented.

During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.

Afterwards, upon his return, Djokovic endured opening-round defeats 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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I came away wiser about what coaching involves."

An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections

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

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

Opinion About the Tennis Tour

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

Murray, who was hindered 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 tired and mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained.

"When you're more exhausted, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My feeling is that's what players are sensing 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 quantity of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."