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

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure mentoring his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his illustrious 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 first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked 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 anticipation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray noted in an interview.

He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is highly intense."

Reflecting on the Experience

Looking back, Murray conveyed that he is glad 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 with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated in 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 sensational 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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I learned a lot about what coaching is."

A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also recounted an incident 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 fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "embarrassing."

Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray reflected he "would have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.

Views on the Tennis Tour

The conversation turned to the current tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players.

Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his final seasons, 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 fatigued and mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.

"When you're more tired, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My feeling 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."