It was a partnership that shocked tennis.
Just months after Andy Murray was dealt a playing career in which he was a long-time rival of Novak Djokovic, he was appointed coach of the Australian Open.
But with Djokovic now out in Melbourne – retiring with a leg injury while Alexander Zverev was down in the semi-finals – it remains to be seen whether that alliance lasts.
Djokovic was noncommittal after his defeat, saying both men would need to “donate.”
“We were disappointed by what just happened, so we didn’t talk about future steps,” he told reporters.
“I’ll definitely have a chat with Andy and thank him for being here with me, give him my feedback, which is, of course, positive. I’ll see how he feels and we can take the next step.”
“Novak and I agreed that we would talk after the tournament — and we would,” Murray said.
Will Murray continue to coach Djokovic?
Murray cited spending more time with his family as something he would have enjoyed after stopping playing, saying: “I’m looking forward to being home with them constantly and not having to explain to my kids why I go away.
“They don’t care about tennis, but they always ask when I get home. Being at home with them, coming up with regular things. Getting them out at school, picking them up. I love playing sports with them.”
It was a full-time role with Djokovic eating into that, but with the 24-time Grand Slam champion only playing a limited schedule, prioritizing big events, the job probably won’t be quite as all-consuming for Murray as it is for other players.
Speaking when the partnership was initially announced, Jonathan told Sky Sports: “Can Murray change the boundaries in terms of what we consider to be the right relationship for a coach? Could he become more of a consultant working at a distance?”
The benefits for Djokovic of retaining Murray’s services are plentiful, including the fact that with Scot so new to retirement, he will have experience playing most of Djokovic’s opponents.
Murray also knows what it takes to win a Grand Slam and, crucially, how to beat Djokovic.
What does Murray bring to Djokovic’s game?
With the Murray-Djokovic partnership so new, it’s difficult to quantify Brit’s exact impact, but a quick look at the stats suggests Djokovic has been more aggressive in Melbourne than he has been in his four Grand Slam appearances in 2024.
The 37-year-old hits more Aces per game on average. This, coupled with his slightly lower first service percentage, hints at a more offensive mentality.
Djokovic also designed, and converted, more break points on average at the Australian Open.
It was noticeable in his four-set win over Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals that he was playing more spotlight tennis and serving more, although this may be attributed to a leg injury he sustained in forcing a change of tactic.
What did Murray say about the experience?
“It’s a steep learning curve for me,” Murray said. “There are a lot of things you learn as a different player when you coach.
“There’s a lot you need to help with in terms of communication around the team. You don’t just think of yourself like you do when you’re a player.
“I’ve definitely learned a lot but there’s still a lot for me to learn, that’s for sure.
“I’m fully aware that the team he’s had have done an incredible job over many years to allow him to remain at this level in the era he’s in.
“They’ve all been really helpful to me, really welcomed me into the team. It’s been great to be part of.
“I watched some amazing tennis, and one of the best matches I’ve seen live was against Alcaraz.
“Sometimes it feels a bit embarrassing because of my relationship with Novak, how much people talk about it or when there is a good result because I helped him.”
If not Djokovic, where is next?
Speaking last November, Over felt Murray would enjoy working with up-and-coming players, particularly Britons, if he were to pursue a coaching career.
Perhaps Scott’s teammate Jacob Fearnley – whose meteoric third-round rally in Melbourne included wins over Nick Kyrgios and Arthur Kazoo – would have called him?
Emma Raducano is also looking for a new coach after parting ways with Nick Cavaday due to recent health issues.
There doesn’t appear to be any lingering animosity from Murray to Raducano after she withdrew from the mixed doubles at Wimbledon last year to focus on singles, depriving Murray of a swansong at a venue where he won a grand slam and an Olympic gold medal.
“I sent him a long message, basically apologizing if I caused any trouble because that’s the last thing I wanted,” Raducano said.
“He’s someone I grew up looking up to and I don’t want any bad blood or hard feelings with him. He took it well and responded by saying he was disappointed but he understood.”
They couldn’t join forces last summer, so, what about now in the player-coach capacity? It may seem unlikely that Murray will coach Djokovic. Watch this space…
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