🔗 Share this article Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Wanted Outcomes with Djokovic Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 meetings against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have hoped for" during his brief tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who ended his illustrious career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership ended 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 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 remarked in an interview. He added, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Assessing the Period Looking back, Murray stated that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he said. During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire with an injury from his contest against Alexander Zverev. Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik. "It was regrettable what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled. "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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I learned a lot about what coaching entails." A Challenging Start and Career Reflections Murray also shared an incident 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 disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating." Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray said he "would have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Opinion About the Tennis Schedule The conversation turned to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his later years, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing the increased time on the road would be detrimental to players. "I don't think there's anything that suggests players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more tired and mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented. "When you're more fatigued, 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 quantity of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."
Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 meetings against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have hoped for" during his brief tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who ended his illustrious career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership ended 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 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 remarked in an interview. He added, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Assessing the Period Looking back, Murray stated that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he said. During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire with an injury from his contest against Alexander Zverev. Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before losing the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik. "It was regrettable what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled. "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 disheartened. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I learned a lot about what coaching entails." A Challenging Start and Career Reflections Murray also shared an incident 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 disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating." Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray said he "would have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Opinion About the Tennis Schedule The conversation turned to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his later years, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing the increased time on the road would be detrimental to players. "I don't think there's anything that suggests players are getting injured more than before. But I do think players are more tired and mentally more fatigued than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented. "When you're more fatigued, 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 quantity of time that players are away on the road that's genuinely an issue."