🔗 Share this article Andy Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Desired Results with Djokovic Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 meetings against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has stated that he "probably didn't get the results I would have liked" during his six-month tenure mentoring his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who concluded his illustrious career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's staff last November, but the arrangement ended 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 Australian Open in 2025 and three other 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 immensely difficult," Murray remarked in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is highly intense." Looking Back at the Experience Looking back, Murray stated that he is happy he took on the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he commented. During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire due to injury from his contest against Alexander Zverev. Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic experienced early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before falling 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled. "After the injury, it was certainly 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 came away wiser about what coaching involves." A Demanding Start and Career Reflections Murray also disclosed an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was asked 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 "awkward." Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Perspective Regarding the Tennis Tour The conversation turned to the current tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players. Murray, who was affected by injuries in his final seasons, 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 psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented. "When you're more tired, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are experiencing 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."
Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 meetings against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has stated that he "probably didn't get the results I would have liked" during his six-month tenure mentoring his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who concluded his illustrious career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, entered Djokovic's staff last November, but the arrangement ended 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 Australian Open in 2025 and three other 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 immensely difficult," Murray remarked in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is highly intense." Looking Back at the Experience Looking back, Murray stated that he is happy he took on the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he commented. During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire due to injury from his contest against Alexander Zverev. Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic experienced early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before falling 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled. "After the injury, it was certainly 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 came away wiser about what coaching involves." A Demanding Start and Career Reflections Murray also disclosed an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was asked 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 "awkward." Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Perspective Regarding the Tennis Tour The conversation turned to the current tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players. Murray, who was affected by injuries in his final seasons, 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 psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented. "When you're more tired, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are experiencing 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."