"I always knew I’d like to coach”: Andy Murray discusses transition to coaching role with Novak Djokovic

Andy Murray ended his first tournament as a coach after Novak Djokovic’s semifinal exit at the Australian Open. The former World No. 1 Brit joined Nole just a few months after his retirement and made a return to Grand Slam action, albeit this time from the box of one of his biggest rivals.

After Murray’s retirement, few would have predicted his swift return to the Tour as a coach. The surprise wasn’t just how quickly he decided to return to tennis in a new role, but because he teamed up with none other than the 24-time Grand Slam champion, a partnership that generated anticipation from the outset.

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Although it was an unexpected move from Murray, he acknowledged after the Australian Open that his coaching aspirations weren’t new and he valued his first experience from outside the court. "I always knew I’d like to coach. I never thought I wouldn’t, but I learned things that were perhaps a little different from what I expected.”

“There are certainly areas in which I need to improve, such as the technical side of the game. As a player, I understand the basics, but not extremely well like some very experienced coaches."

“Former players are generally quite good at strategy and understand psychology and other aspects of the game,” the three-time Grand Slam champion added. “But there are many other areas of coaching that I need to learn. There are some things I’ve really enjoyed.”

As a player, the public was used to seeing Murray live his matches with maximum intensity. However, as a coach, he assumed a more measured role. “I was very nervous before the games, but when I watched the games, I felt like I could forget about it,” Andy Murray acknowledged. “I felt calm on the sidelines and watched, trying to do my job at times.”

The Brit also discussed how he experienced Djokovic’s quarterfinal match, where Nole put on a remarkable performance to defeat Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. “At the end of the game against Alcaraz or in important moments, you feel nervous, but not as much as when you’re playing.”

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It remains unknown whether Murray and Djokovic will continue their partnership. The Serbian has yet to announce whether they will work together for the rest of the season. “I don’t know. We both were disappointed with what just happened, so we didn’t talk about the future steps,” Djokovic mentioned in a press conference after his exit to Alexander Zverev.

“We are so fresh off the court. 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, and see how he feels, then we’ll take the next step,” Djokovic concluded.

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