Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Desired Outcomes for Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably fell short of the results I would have liked" during his six-month tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who finalized his professional career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership ended after only half a year.

In his first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and a handful of other tournaments.

"The role involves coaching 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 immensely difficult," Murray remarked in an interview.

He added, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous."

Assessing the Experience

Looking back, Murray conveyed that he is pleased he took on the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he observed.

During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw injured from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his return, Djokovic experienced early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before falling 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 ridiculous 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 entails."

An Intimidating 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 disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "awkward."

Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray said he "would have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.

Opinion About the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his later years, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying the increased time on the road would negatively impact players.

"I don't think there's anything that suggests 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 explained.

"When you're more fatigued, you're more susceptible 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 genuinely an issue."