🔗 Share this article Andy Murray Admits He Didn't Achieve the Desired Outcomes with Djokovic Novak Djokovic claimed 25 victories out of 36 meetings against his long-time competitor Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have hoped for" during his six-month tenure mentoring his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who concluded his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the arrangement concluded after only half a year. In his maiden position as a coach, 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 expectation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray remarked in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous." Looking Back at the Experience In retrospect, Murray stated that he is happy he accepted the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed. During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Following that, upon his return, Djokovic endured opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated in the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik. "It was unfortunate what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray said. "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 is." An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections Murray also shared 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 disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating." Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray reflected he "could have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic victories. Perspective Regarding the Tennis Tour The conversation turned to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his later years, had opposed 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 indicates 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 stated. "When you're more tired, you're more susceptible 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 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 long-time competitor Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have hoped for" during his six-month tenure mentoring his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who concluded his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the arrangement concluded after only half a year. In his maiden position as a coach, 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 expectation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray remarked in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he tackles his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous." Looking Back at the Experience In retrospect, Murray stated that he is happy he accepted the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he observed. During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Following that, upon his return, Djokovic endured opening-round defeats in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated in the Miami Open final to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik. "It was unfortunate what happened in Australia with the injury, but I watched him play extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray said. "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 is." An Intimidating Start and Career Reflections Murray also shared 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 disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "humiliating." Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray reflected he "could have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic victories. Perspective Regarding the Tennis Tour The conversation turned to the modern tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his later years, had opposed 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 indicates 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 stated. "When you're more tired, you're more susceptible 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 amount of time that players are away on the road that's actually an issue."