🔗 Share this article Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Desired Results for Djokovic Novak Djokovic claimed 25 wins out of 36 matches against his fierce competitor Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably fell short of the results I would have liked" during his brief tenure coaching his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who ended his professional career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year. In his maiden position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and a handful of 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 anticipation was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray remarked in an interview. He added, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is highly intense." Looking Back at the Period Upon reflection, Murray expressed that he is pleased he accepted the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed. During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw with an injury from his contest against Alexander Zverev. Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured early exits 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray noted. "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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching is." A Demanding Start and Career Reflections Murray also recounted an anecdote 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 described as "awkward." Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic victories. Perspective Regarding the Tennis Schedule The conversation moved onto the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his final seasons, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, believing the increased time on the road would be detrimental to 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 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 vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are sensing now, just being away for longer. "I don't think the matches are so much more demanding than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the amount of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."
Novak Djokovic claimed 25 wins out of 36 matches against his fierce competitor Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably fell short of the results I would have liked" during his brief tenure coaching his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who ended his professional career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's team last November, but the partnership dissolved after only half a year. In his maiden position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray worked with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and a handful of 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 anticipation was that it was going to be exceptionally tough," Murray remarked in an interview. He added, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is highly intense." Looking Back at the Period Upon reflection, Murray expressed that he is pleased he accepted the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed. During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw with an injury from his contest against Alexander Zverev. Subsequently, upon his comeback, Djokovic endured early exits 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray noted. "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 disappointed. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching is." A Demanding Start and Career Reflections Murray also recounted an anecdote 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 described as "awkward." Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic victories. Perspective Regarding the Tennis Schedule The conversation moved onto the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his final seasons, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, believing the increased time on the road would be detrimental to 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 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 vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are sensing now, just being away for longer. "I don't think the matches are so much more demanding than they were 10, 15 years ago. But it's the amount of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."