🔗 Share this article Andy Murray Admits He Fell Short of the Targeted Results with Djokovic Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 matches against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably fell short of the results I would have hoped for" during his brief tenure guiding his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who ended his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, joined Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the partnership ended after only half a year. In his first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open 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 anticipation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray said in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Looking Back at the Period Looking back, Murray conveyed that he is happy he accepted the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he commented. During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out due to injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Following that, upon his return, Djokovic experienced early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated 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 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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching involves." A Demanding Start and Career Reflections Murray also disclosed an incident from his first day on the job, when he was told to join Djokovic on a run. He experienced calf cramps so as not to disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "embarrassing." Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray said he "should have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Views on the Tennis Schedule The conversation shifted to the current tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his later years, had voted against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 exhausted, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are feeling 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 quantity of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."
Novak Djokovic secured 25 wins out of 36 matches against his longstanding rival Andy Murray. Andy Murray has commented that he "probably fell short of the results I would have hoped for" during his brief tenure guiding his one-time rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who ended his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, joined Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the partnership ended after only half a year. In his first-ever coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the 2025 Australian Open 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 anticipation was that it was going to be extremely challenging," Murray said in an interview. He went on to say, "Novak, like myself, is a perfectionist in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Looking Back at the Period Looking back, Murray conveyed that he is happy he accepted the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he commented. During their time together, Djokovic overcame Carlos Alcaraz to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out due to injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Following that, upon his return, Djokovic experienced early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated 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 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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching involves." A Demanding Start and Career Reflections Murray also disclosed an incident from his first day on the job, when he was told to join Djokovic on a run. He experienced calf cramps so as not to disappoint his fellow former world number one—a moment he labeled "embarrassing." Reflecting on his own stellar playing career, Murray said he "should have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Views on the Tennis Schedule The conversation shifted to the current tennis calendar, a topic of debate among top players. Murray, who was hindered by injuries in his later years, had voted against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, saying 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 exhausted, you're more vulnerable to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are feeling 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 quantity of time that players are away on the road that's truly an issue."