Andy Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Wanted Results for Djokovic

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

Murray, who finalized his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's staff last November, but the partnership concluded 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 Australian Open in 2025 and several additional tournaments.

"It's a job 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 exceptionally tough," Murray remarked in an interview.

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

Reflecting on the Stint

Looking back, Murray stated that he is glad he took on the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he said.

During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw due to injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured early exits 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 ridiculous tennis in that tournament," Murray noted.

"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 gained valuable insight about what coaching is."

A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also disclosed an story from his first day on the job, when he was asked to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he described as "embarrassing."

Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray reflected he "should have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.

Views on the Tennis Tour

The conversation moved onto the modern tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his final seasons, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing the increased time on the road would negatively impact players.

"I don't think there's anything that indicates players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more weary and psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.

"When you're more fatigued, you're more susceptible 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 taxing 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."