🔗 Share this article Andy Murray Concedes He Fell Short of the Wanted Outcomes with Djokovic Novak Djokovic claimed 25 victories out of 36 matches against his fierce competitor Andy Murray. Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably fell short of the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure mentoring his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who concluded his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's staff last November, but the collaboration concluded after only half a year. In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and several additional tournaments. "The role involves 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 noted in an interview. He added, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Looking Back at the Experience Looking back, Murray conveyed that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said. During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Following that, upon his return, Djokovic suffered early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated 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 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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I learned a lot about what coaching is." A Challenging Start and Career Reflections Murray also shared an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was invited to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "awkward." Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray reflected he "should have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Views on the Tennis Tour The conversation turned to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players. Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his final seasons, had been 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 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 commented. "When you're more tired, 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 demanding 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 matches against his fierce competitor Andy Murray. Andy Murray has revealed that he "probably fell short of the results I would have wanted" during his brief tenure mentoring his past rival, Novak Djokovic. Murray, who concluded his playing career at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, entered Djokovic's staff last November, but the collaboration concluded after only half a year. In his maiden coaching role, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and several additional tournaments. "The role involves 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 noted in an interview. He added, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is extremely demanding." Looking Back at the Experience Looking back, Murray conveyed that he is glad he accepted the role. "It's an incredible experience that I've had," he said. During their time together, Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was had to pull out with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev. Following that, upon his return, Djokovic suffered early exits in Qatar and at Indian Wells, before being defeated 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 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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I learned a lot about what coaching is." A Challenging Start and Career Reflections Murray also shared an anecdote from his first day on the job, when he was invited to join Djokovic on a run. He endured calf cramps so as not to fail his fellow former world number one—a moment he called "awkward." Reflecting on his own successful playing career, Murray reflected he "should have taken more breaks" to relish his successes, including after his two Olympic triumphs. Views on the Tennis Tour The conversation turned to the present-day tennis calendar, a topic of discussion among top players. Murray, who was plagued by injuries in his final seasons, had been 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 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 commented. "When you're more tired, 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 demanding 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."