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 hoped for" during his brief tenure mentoring his former rival, Novak Djokovic.

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

In his debut position as a coach, 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 exceptionally tough," Murray said in an interview.

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

Looking Back at the Stint

In retrospect, Murray stated that he is pleased he took on the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he observed.

During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw injured from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, 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 ridiculous 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 involves."

A Challenging Start and Career Reflections

Murray also shared an anecdote 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 disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he described as "humiliating."

Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray said he "could have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs.

Opinion About the Tennis Tour

The conversation turned to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players.

Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his later years, had voted 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 weary and worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.

"When you're more exhausted, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My view 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 amount of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."