Andy Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Targeted Outcomes with Djokovic

Andy Murray has stated that he "probably fell short of the results I would have hoped for" during his short-lived tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who concluded his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the arrangement ended after only half a year.

In his debut position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray teamed up with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open 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 noted in an interview.

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

Looking Back at the Period

In retrospect, Murray stated that he is happy he undertook the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed.

During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to reach the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.

Subsequently, upon his return, 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 a shame 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 involves."

A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also disclosed an incident 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 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 gold medals.

Perspective Regarding the Tennis Calendar

The conversation shifted 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, believing the increased time on the road would harm players.

"I don't think there's anything that shows 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 explained.

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