Andy Murray has commented that he "probably failed to achieve the results I would have liked" during his brief tenure guiding his past rival, Novak Djokovic.
Murray, who finalized his playing career at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became part of Djokovic's coaching setup last November, but the arrangement dissolved after only half a year.
In his debut position as a coach, the 38-year-old Murray partnered with the 24-time Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open in 2025 and a handful of other 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 exceptionally tough," Murray noted in an interview.
He continued, "Novak, like myself, is a demanding individual in terms of the way he goes about his tennis, [it] is incredibly rigorous."
In retrospect, Murray expressed that he is pleased he undertook the role. "It's an unforgettable experience that I've had," he said.
During their time together, Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz to make the semi-finals in Melbourne, but was forced to retire with an injury from his clash against Alexander Zverev.
Following that, upon his return, Djokovic endured 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 extraordinary tennis in that tournament," Murray recalled.
"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 let down. Probably didn't get the results I would have liked for him. But I gained valuable insight about what coaching is."
Murray also recounted an incident from his first day on the job, when he was asked to join Djokovic on a run. He experienced 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 admitted he "would have taken more breaks" to savour his successes, including after his two Olympic gold medals.
The conversation moved onto the current tennis calendar, a topic of concern among top players.
Murray, who was affected by injuries in his final seasons, had been against increasing the number of two-week ATP 1,000 tournaments, arguing 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 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 exhausted, you're more sensitive to pain and discomfort. My view is that's what players are experiencing 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 truly an issue."
A tech strategist with over a decade of experience in digital transformation and AI-driven solutions across European markets.