Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Outcomes with Djokovic

Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have hoped for" during his short-lived tenure mentoring his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year.

In his maiden position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open and a handful of 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 expectation was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray remarked in an interview.

He added, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Looking Back at the Experience

Upon reflection, Murray stated that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he observed.

During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to advance to 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 losing 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 came away wiser about what coaching entails."

An Intimidating Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also shared an story from his first day on the job, when he was told 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 stellar playing career, Murray reflected he "could have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.

Views on the Tennis Tour

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

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his later years, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained.

"When you're more fatigued, you're more susceptible 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 taxing than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the amount of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."