Andy Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Desired Results for Djokovic

Andy Murray has commented that he "probably didn't get the results I would have liked" during his short-lived tenure coaching his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who finalized his illustrious career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's team 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 three 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 anticipation was that it was going to be immensely difficult," Murray said in an interview.

He added, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is highly intense."

Looking Back at the Stint

Upon reflection, Murray stated that he is glad 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 due to injury from his contest against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his comeback, 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 unfortunate what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play sensational 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 came away wiser about what coaching involves."

A Challenging Start and Career Reflections

Murray also disclosed 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 called "awkward."

Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray reflected he "would have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.

Opinion About the Tennis Calendar

The conversation turned to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players.

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his later years, had been 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 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 commented.

"When you're more exhausted, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My belief 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."