When Andy Murray retired from professional tennis at the Paris Olympics in August 2024, he stepped away as one of the most respected competitors of his era. Few expected his next move to be quite so bold. Within three months, the recently retired champion had swapped his racquet for a clipboard- joining Novak Djokovic’s team as a coach.
Murray coaching Djokovic, his longtime rival and the most decorated Grand Slam champion in history, sounded like the plot of a tennis rom-com: two fiercely competitive former world No. 1s working together in search of one more push toward greatness. But what began as a surprise partnership ended almost as quickly as it started.
Six months. Four tournaments. Lessons for a lifetime.
Novak Djokovic Plus Andy Murray: A Promising Start, a Painful Twist
Their collaboration launched in November 2024, with plans to run through Roland-Garros the following spring. By all accounts, the early days were invigorating. Murray was diving into drills, workouts, and tactical discussions with the intensity he once brought to centre court. Djokovic responded with sharp, aggressive tennis at the 2025 Australian Open- highlighted by a vintage quarterfinal win over Carlos Alcaraz.
But Melbourne, a city that has given Djokovic so much, delivered a cruel turn. He tore his left hamstring mid-tournament and retired one set into his semifinal against Alexander Zverev, drawing boos from a confused crowd. From there, everything became harder.
Rust, Rebuilds, and a Reality Check
Novak Djokovic’s return from injury was shaky: early exits in Qatar and Indian Wells, then a run to the Miami Open final where he fell to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik. Clay only deepened the frustration. Quick losses in Monte-Carlo and Madrid cut the project short in May, weeks earlier than intended.
“It was going well initially,” Murray reflected on The Tennis Podcast. “After the injury, it was a difficult few months for him and the team. I was disappointed. We probably didn’t get the results I would have liked for him.”
Still, he insists he has zero regrets.
“It didn’t last long, but I put everything into it. I’m glad that I did it. I learned a lot about what coaching is.”
Learning From a Legend
Andy Murray described coaching Djokovic as both a privilege and a shock to the system. Djokovic’s standards, he says, are as unforgiving as ever. On day one, Djokovic invited him for a run; Murray pushed so hard to keep up that he cramped, later laughing about how “embarrassing” it was.
But the challenge was exactly what Murray wanted. Coaching, he believed, was something he’d eventually try; turning down Djokovic might have left him wondering “what if” for years. Even if the results didn’t match their ambitions, the experience taught him more than he anticipated- about communication, preparation, and the relentless demands placed on today’s top players.
Novak Djokovic’s Changing Era
The split also marked a statistical turning point. Djokovic, now 38, has gone two consecutive seasons without a Grand Slam title- the first time that has happened since 2009–2010. He managed two titles during the Murray months (Geneva and the earlier Hellenic Open), but on the biggest stages, the margins finally narrowed.
Murray insists Djokovic can still “play ridiculous tennis,” just as he did in Melbourne. But the calendar, the travel, and the never-ending grind weigh heavily on the sport’s veterans. Murray argued that modern players are “more tired and mentally fatigued” than ever, not because matches are harder, but because time away from home keeps expanding.
In the same interview, Murray revisited one of his own most meaningful matches: his five-set Australian Open semifinal win over Roger Federer in 2013. As a teenager sidelined by injury, Murray spent months studying Federer on TV, taking notes on how to dismantle the Swiss genius. That preparation paid off a decade later.
“I felt like I knew how to play against him,” he said. “But overcoming his aura- the pressure- that was the real challenge.”
It was a reminder of the analytical, obsessive mind that made Murray a great champion- and now fuels his growing curiosity about coaching.
Also Read: Novak Djokovic Reveals Plans To Tackle Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner In 2026
A New Chapter, No Regrets
Today, Murray is retired, fully at peace with his decision and happily absorbed in family life with his four children. Coaching Djokovic may not have delivered a Hollywood ending, but it offered something more valuable: perspective.
“I loved it,” he said. “I tried my hardest to help. I made good relationships. And I learned a lot.”
If Murray decides to coach again, he’ll do so with a clearer sense of what the role demands. And if he doesn’t, he’ll still have a story few athletes can tell:
He walked away from the court- and then stepped back on, not for himself, but for one of the greatest of all time.
And he held his own.
