🔗 Share this article Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Wanted Results for Djokovic Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 encounters against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably didn't get the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who concluded his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's staff last November, but the partnership concluded 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 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 assumption was that it was going to be immensely difficult," Murray noted in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is highly intense." Looking Back at the Stint Looking back, Murray expressed that he is happy he took on the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed. During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw due to injury from his match 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 unfortunate what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play ridiculous 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 learned a lot about what coaching entails." An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections Murray also recounted 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 fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "humiliating." Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray said he "could have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Views on the Tennis Calendar The conversation shifted to the current tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his later years, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 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 exhausted, you're more susceptible 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."
Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 encounters against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably didn't get the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who concluded his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's staff last November, but the partnership concluded 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 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 assumption was that it was going to be immensely difficult," Murray noted in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is highly intense." Looking Back at the Stint Looking back, Murray expressed that he is happy he took on the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed. During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw due to injury from his match 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 unfortunate what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play ridiculous 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 learned a lot about what coaching entails." An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections Murray also recounted 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 fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "humiliating." Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray said he "could have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Views on the Tennis Calendar The conversation shifted to the current tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his later years, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 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 exhausted, you're more susceptible 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 volume of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."