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

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

Murray, who concluded his professional career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, joined Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the arrangement dissolved after only half a year.

In his debut position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up 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 assumption was that it was going to be immensely difficult," Murray said in an interview.

He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Looking Back at the Experience

In retrospect, Murray stated that he is happy he undertook the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he observed.

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

Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic endured first-round losses in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.

"It was a shame what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play ridiculous tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled.

"After the injury, it was definitely 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 learned a lot about what coaching involves."

A Challenging Start and Career Reflections

Murray also recounted an story from his first day on the job, when he was told 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 called "awkward."

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

Views on the Tennis Tour

The conversation shifted to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players.

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his final seasons, had voted against 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 indicates 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 stated.

"When you're more tired, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My view 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."