Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Outcomes for Djokovic

Andy Murray has commented that he "probably fell short of the results I would have hoped for" during his brief tenure coaching his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who concluded his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's staff last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year.

In his first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and several additional tournaments.

"The role involves coaching 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 perfectionist in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Assessing the Period

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

During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire injured from his match against Alexander Zverev.

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

A Demanding Start and Career Reflections

Murray also shared an story from his first day on the job, when he was asked 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 labeled "embarrassing."

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

Opinion About the Tennis Calendar

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

Murray, who was affected 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 negatively impact 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 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 vulnerable 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 demanding 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."