Andy Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Desired Outcomes for Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have liked" during his short-lived tenure mentoring his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his illustrious career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, joined Djokovic's staff last November, but the collaboration dissolved after only half a year.

In his first-ever position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and several additional 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 exceptionally tough," Murray said in an interview.

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

Reflecting on the Stint

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

During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out due to injury from his match against Alexander Zverev.

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

"It was regrettable what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray said.

"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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I learned a lot about what coaching involves."

An Intimidating 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 experienced calf cramps so as not to disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating."

Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray said he "could have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.

Opinion About the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his latter career, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing the increased time on the road would be detrimental to 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 stated.

"When you're more tired, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My belief is that's what players are sensing now, just being away for longer.

"I don't think the matches are so much more demanding than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the volume of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."