Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Wanted Outcomes with Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably didn't get the results I would have wanted" during his six-month tenure mentoring his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who finalized his illustrious career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's staff last November, but the partnership concluded 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 Australian Open in 2025 and three 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 expectation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray noted in an interview.

He added, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Reflecting on the Period

In retrospect, Murray stated that he is glad 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 with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic endured 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 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 came away wiser about what coaching entails."

A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also disclosed an incident 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 fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he described as "humiliating."

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

Views on the Tennis Calendar

The conversation shifted to the current 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, believing the increased time on the road would be detrimental to 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 explained.

"When you're more tired, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My belief is that's what players are feeling 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 quantity of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."