🔗 Share this article Andy Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Targeted Outcomes with Djokovic Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 matches against his fierce rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his six-month tenure coaching his former rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who finalized his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's staff last November, but the partnership ended after only half a year. In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked 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 anticipation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray said in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous." Reflecting on the Experience In retrospect, Murray conveyed that he is happy he undertook the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he commented. During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw due to injury from his clash 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled. "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 entails." A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections Murray also disclosed 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 described as "humiliating." Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray admitted 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 modern tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players. Murray, who was affected by injuries in his later years, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 weary and psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented. "When you're more fatigued, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My feeling is that's what players are experiencing 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 actually an issue."
Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 matches against his fierce rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his six-month tenure coaching his former rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who finalized his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's staff last November, but the partnership ended after only half a year. In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked 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 anticipation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray said in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous." Reflecting on the Experience In retrospect, Murray conveyed that he is happy he undertook the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he commented. During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw due to injury from his clash 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled. "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 entails." A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections Murray also disclosed 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 described as "humiliating." Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray admitted 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 modern tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players. Murray, who was affected by injuries in his later years, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 weary and psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented. "When you're more fatigued, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My feeling is that's what players are experiencing 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 actually an issue."