🔗 Share this article Andy Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Desired Results for Djokovic Novak Djokovic claimed 25 victories out of 36 meetings against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably didn't get the results I would have liked" during his short-lived tenure mentoring his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who ended his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement ended after only half a year. In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 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 continued, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Reflecting on the Stint Looking back, Murray conveyed that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said. During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire injured from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic suffered opening-round defeats 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 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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I came away wiser about what coaching is." An Intimidating 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 experienced calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating." Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic victories. Views on the Tennis Tour The conversation moved onto the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players. Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his later years, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, believing the increased time on the road would negatively impact 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 worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained. "When you're more fatigued, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My belief is that's what players are experiencing 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 amount of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."
Novak Djokovic claimed 25 victories out of 36 meetings against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably didn't get the results I would have liked" during his short-lived tenure mentoring his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who ended his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the arrangement ended after only half a year. In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 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 continued, "Novak, like myself, is a challenging character in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Reflecting on the Stint Looking back, Murray conveyed that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said. During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire injured from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Subsequently, upon his return, Djokovic suffered opening-round defeats 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 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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I came away wiser about what coaching is." An Intimidating 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 experienced calf cramps so as not to let down his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating." Reflecting on his own remarkable playing career, Murray admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic victories. Views on the Tennis Tour The conversation moved onto the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players. Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his later years, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, believing the increased time on the road would negatively impact 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 worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray explained. "When you're more fatigued, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My belief is that's what players are experiencing 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 amount of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."