Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Targeted Results with Djokovic

Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have liked" during his brief tenure coaching his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

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

In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and three other tournaments.

"The role involves coaching 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 said in an interview.

He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding."

Looking Back at the Experience

Looking back, Murray stated that he is happy he took on 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 clash against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic experienced early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated in 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 sensational tennis in that tournament," Murray said.

"After the injury, it was definitely 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 entails."

A Challenging 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 endured calf cramps so as not to fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating."

Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray said he "should have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.

Views on the Tennis Schedule

The conversation turned to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his final seasons, 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 suggests 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 tired, you're more susceptible to pain and discomfort. My feeling is that's what players are sensing now, just being away for longer.

"I don't think the matches are so much more grueling 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."