Andy Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Desired Outcomes with Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably fell short of the results I would have liked" during his six-month tenure coaching his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his illustrious career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the collaboration dissolved after only half a year.

In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and three other 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 anticipation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray said 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 incredibly rigorous."

Reflecting on the Stint

Upon reflection, Murray conveyed that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an incredible 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 match against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured first-round losses 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 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 gained valuable insight about what coaching is."

A Demanding Start and Career Reflections

Murray also disclosed an incident 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 "awkward."

Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray admitted he "could have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.

Views on the Tennis Tour

The conversation shifted to the current tennis calendar, a topic of concern 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, arguing the increased time on the road would harm players.

"I don't think there's anything that indicates players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more fatigued 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 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 demanding than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the volume of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."