Murray Concedes He Didn't Achieve the Wanted Results with Djokovic

Andy Murray has commented that he "probably didn't get the results I would have wanted" during his short-lived tenure mentoring his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

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

In his maiden position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open 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 anticipation was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview.

He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is highly intense."

Assessing the Period

In retrospect, Murray expressed that he is glad he took on the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he observed.

During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out injured from his contest against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic suffered early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before falling 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 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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching involves."

A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also disclosed an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was invited to join Djokovic on a run. He experienced calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "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 turned to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.

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

"I don't think there's anything that shows players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more tired and psychologically drained 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 view 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 quantity of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."