π Share this article Andy Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Desired Results with Djokovic Novak Djokovic claimed 25 victories out of 36 matches against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has stated that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have hoped for" during his six-month tenure coaching his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who finalized his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the arrangement dissolved after only half a year. In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and several additional tournaments. "The role involves coaching 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 exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Looking Back at the Experience Looking back, Murray expressed that he is glad 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 make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire injured from his contest against Alexander Zverev. Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic suffered opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik. "It was regrettable what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play sensational 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 came away wiser about what coaching is." A Demanding Start and Career Reflections Murray also shared an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was told to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number oneβa moment he called "embarrassing." Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray reflected he "would have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic victories. Opinion About the Tennis Calendar The conversation shifted to the current tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players. Murray, who was affected 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 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 stated. "When you're more fatigued, you're more sensitive 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 grueling than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the amount of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."
Novak Djokovic claimed 25 victories out of 36 matches against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has stated that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have hoped for" during his six-month tenure coaching his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who finalized his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the arrangement dissolved after only half a year. In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and several additional tournaments. "The role involves coaching 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 exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Looking Back at the Experience Looking back, Murray expressed that he is glad 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 make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire injured from his contest against Alexander Zverev. Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic suffered opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik. "It was regrettable what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play sensational 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 came away wiser about what coaching is." A Demanding Start and Career Reflections Murray also shared an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was told to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number oneβa moment he called "embarrassing." Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray reflected he "would have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic victories. Opinion About the Tennis Calendar The conversation shifted to the current tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players. Murray, who was affected 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 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 stated. "When you're more fatigued, you're more sensitive 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 grueling than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the amount of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."