🔗 Share this article Andy Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Wanted Outcomes for Djokovic Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 matches against his fierce competitor Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who concluded his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership concluded after only half a year. In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked 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 extremely challenging," Murray noted in an interview. He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Assessing the Experience In retrospect, Murray stated that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he observed. During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw injured from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic suffered opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated 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 certainly 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 learned a lot about what coaching entails." An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections Murray also shared an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was told 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 "embarrassing." Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Opinion About the Tennis Schedule The conversation moved onto the modern tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players. Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his final seasons, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 weary and psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained. "When you're more exhausted, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My belief is that's what players are sensing 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 genuinely an issue."
Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 matches against his fierce competitor Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who concluded his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership concluded after only half a year. In his debut coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray worked 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 extremely challenging," Murray noted in an interview. He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Assessing the Experience In retrospect, Murray stated that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he observed. During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw injured from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic suffered opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated 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 certainly 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 learned a lot about what coaching entails." An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections Murray also shared an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was told 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 "embarrassing." Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Opinion About the Tennis Schedule The conversation moved onto the modern tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players. Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his final seasons, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 weary and psychologically drained than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained. "When you're more exhausted, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My belief is that's what players are sensing 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 genuinely an issue."