A Sky Sports reporter asked a question about retired British Andy Murray becoming Novak Djokovic’s new coach, and Djokovic gave a clear answer (link below for English interview video).
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First of all, it’s very interesting just to talk about Andy Murray, how did that come about when you came back from England?
Well, over the past few months I’ve been thinking about next season and what I need to do at this stage in my career. In March of this year, I stopped working with my coach Goran Ivan, with whom I had worked successfully for a long time.
So, for about six months, I thought about whether I really needed a coach and, if so, what kind of profile the coach would have.
After considering several names, I decided that the perfect coach for me would be someone who had been through what I was going through, perhaps a multiple Grand Slam winner and former world number one.
Then Andy Murray came to the table, and my team and I decided to give him a call. He must have been a little surprised because it was something he didn’t expect.
We connected quickly and after a few days he said yes. I’m really excited. This collaboration is surprising for me, but also exciting for tennis.
He was one of my best rivals, we played in all the big stadiums at the same age. I’m really looking forward to getting out on the court and preparing for next season.
Let me ask you one more question. Rafa retired, and after Roger, Andy also retired. What do you think?
We all know that at some point we have to say goodbye to what we’ve done. We knew it was time for Rafa and Andy to retire, but to see them say goodbye in the same year is shocking to all of us.
It’s shocking to see legends disappearing from the world of tennis. I will still go strong.
I want my body to take care of itself, win more Grand Slams, and leave more records in tennis history. One of the big reasons I asked Andy to work with me is because I still have big plans.
So as long as that’s the case, I’ll keep going. I have no date or goal for when I will retire. I will keep going until I can have big goals in sports.
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Did the announcement surprise you?
I totally had to check my calendar. I’m just trying to make sure it’s not April Fool’s Day.
There have been many interesting partnerships in tennis. Djokovic and Ivanovic, Becker, brief collaborations with Agassi, Murray and Lendl, etc. But Djokovic and Murray are an unexpected combination.
The two were born in May 1987 and have been competing since their junior days. It’s interesting that Murray is now trying to help Djokovic win one more Grand Slam.
We’ve always been friends, haven’t we?
What do you think about the fight on the court?
Most of Murray’s life has been in-depth. I’m not sure we were always friends. There was a famous photo from the 2015 Australian Open final where it looked like Murray was glaring a bit.
I wondered what he was thinking at the time. But here they are on the lineup together at the World Tour Finals. They played in the final of that tournament in 2016, with Murray winning and becoming world number one.
I competed in many important events, including the 2013 Wimbledon final and several Grand Slam finals. Djokovic was a step ahead in his career by winning his first few matches and is still competing at the age of 37.
Although Murray announced his retirement this summer, this partnership is really exciting and could be the final piece that helps Djokovic win his 25th Grand Slam.
Are you surprised that Murray misses tennis so quickly after retirement and wants to get back right away?
It’s amazing to coach one of the greatest players in tennis history just three months after retirement.
I wonder if Djokovic will retire immediately if he wins the Australian Open, and if that will be the end of their partnership.
Murray will also want to work with younger players. He has received many offers since retirement, but I think working with Djokovic excites him. It’s really exciting to have the opportunity to work with Djokovic during the preparation for the Australian Open.
For Djokovic, who performed well at the Australian Open, 2024 was a time of generational change in men’s tennis. Yannick Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz won two big titles.
Djokovic still has the ability to play, but now strategy is important. Murray can help Djokovic with his incredible tennis IQ and ability to analyze data.
We’ve been competing for 25 years, since we were boys, and we’ve had some of the most incredible fights in sports history.
They called us game changers, risk takers, and history makers. I thought the story was over, but the last chapter remains.
It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to come into my corner. Welcome, Coach Andy Murray.
