Novak Djokovic has disclosed that Andy Murray was taken aback when asked to become his new coach, but believes the partnership can only enhance the sport of tennis. Murray retired following the summer Olympics at the age of 37, finally succumbing to his long-standing injury struggles. It was speculated that Murray might one day return to tennis as a coach, given his passion for the game, work ethic, and tactical prowess. However, the sudden announcement last Saturday that he would be joining forces with Djokovic, 37, for the winter and through the Australian Open in Melbourne, came as a surprise. Djokovic, who was defeated by Murray in the 2012 US Open final and again at Wimbledon the following year, admitted even he could not have predicted this turn of events.
“I was in the process of contemplating next season over the past few months,” Djokovic told Sky Sports at the Qatar Grand Prix. “I was trying to determine what I need at this stage of my career, especially since I parted ways with my [former] coach Goran Ivanisevic, with whom I had much success and who I worked with for many years, back in March.”
“So, I took about six months to really consider whether I needed a coach and, if so, who that would be and what the ideal coach’s profile would look like. We went through various names, and I realized that the perfect coach for me at this point would be someone who has experienced what I am going through, possibly a multiple grand slam winner, a former [world] number one.”
“I was considering different people, and a discussion about Andy Murray came up with me and my team. We thought, ‘okay, I’ll give him a call and see how it goes.’ It caught him a bit off guard as well because he wasn’t expecting it.”
“We connected really quickly, and he accepted after a few days. I can’t be more thrilled about it.”
Djokovic defeated Murray in the 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016 Australian Open finals, as well as the French Open final in 2016. “This collaboration is a surprise to me, to everyone, but it’s exciting for tennis,” Djokovic added.
“He has been one of my greatest rivals. We are the same age, have played in all the biggest stadiums in our sport, so I can’t wait to get out on the court and prepare for next season.”
Djokovic hopes that adding Murray to his team will help him reclaim the top spot in the game after experiencing a calendar year without a grand slam victory for the first time since 2017. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have established dominance at the top of the men’s game, and Djokovic, who has seen Murray, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal retire in recent years, is still aiming to surpass the record 24 grand slams he shares with Margaret Court.
“I still plan to push hard because I feel my body is holding up well. I still have the motivation to win grand slams and make more history,” Djokovic said. “That’s one of the main reasons I asked Andy to work with me, because I still have big ambitions, so as long as that’s the case, I will keep going.”
“I don’t have any specific date or achievement in mind that would lead me to say goodbye and retire. I will continue as long as I feel I can be a contender for the biggest titles in the sport.”
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