Andy Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Wanted Results for Djokovic

Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure mentoring his past rival, Novak Djokovic.

Murray, who ended his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, joined Djokovic's staff last November, but the arrangement ended 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.

"It's a job coaching 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 continued, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he approaches his tennis, [it] is highly intense."

Looking Back at the Stint

Upon reflection, Murray expressed that he is happy he accepted the role. "It's an amazing experience that I've had," he commented.

During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was compelled to withdraw injured from his match against Alexander Zverev.

Following that, upon his comeback, 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled.

"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 entails."

A Demanding Start and Playing Reflections

Murray also disclosed an story from his first day on the job, when he was invited to join Djokovic on a run. He suffered through 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 said he "should have taken more breaks" to enjoy his successes, including after his two Olympic victories.

Opinion About the Tennis Tour

The conversation moved onto the current tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players.

Murray, who was affected by injuries in his latter career, had opposed increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing 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 weary and worn out mentally than they were before because they're spending more days away on the road," Murray commented.

"When you're more fatigued, 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 grueling 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."