In a surprising turn of events, Andy Murray has taken on a new role as the coach of his former rival, Novak Djokovic. The announcement, made in November 2024, caught the tennis world by surprise. Murray, who retired from professional tennis earlier this year, revealed the story behind his unexpected coaching gig during a recent interview at Melbourne Park.
Murray was playing golf when he received a message from Djokovic, who was simply looking to chat. “I was on the 17th hole of the golf course when my playing partner asked if I had any plans to do any coaching,” Murray recalled. “I honestly couldn’t think of anything worse to do right then.”
However, just 30 minutes later, Murray found himself in a conversation with Djokovic, who asked if he would be interested in helping out. Initially taken aback, Murray needed time to think about it and discuss it with his family. After a couple of days, he saw it as a unique opportunity and decided to give it a try.
Murray’s wife, Kim, was supportive of his decision. “She was surprised, obviously, that he’d asked me, but she was really supportive of it,” Murray said. Kim’s support was crucial for Murray, especially since he was already planning to be in Australia for a few days during the tournament.
The partnership between Murray and Djokovic is currently set to last until the end of the Australian Open. Murray has not ruled out the possibility of a more permanent arrangement going forward. “We’ll make a more definitive decision after the tournament,” Murray added.
Murray’s first match in the coaching box will be when Djokovic takes on young American Nishesh Basavareddy in the first round. The arrangement is unique, and both players are excited to see how it works out.
Murray’s transition from player to coach has been smooth, despite some initial reservations. “It’s not the usual kind of set-up, so it made sense to trial it and see if it works,” Murray explained. The collaboration has already started to show promise, with Djokovic expressing his excitement about having one of his greatest rivals in his corner.
As the Australian Open progresses, all eyes will be on this unexpected partnership to see if it can lead to success for Djokovic and a new chapter in Murray’s career.
Novak Djokovic in 2025
Ranked no.7, Djokovic played his last match on the 3rd of January when he capitulated to world no.171 Reilly Opelka 7-6(6) 6-3 in the quarter in Brisbane (draw).
At present, during this year the Serbian achieved an overall 2-1 match record.
