After a disappointing season—by his usual standards—and parting ways with his longtime coach Goran Ivaniševic, Novak Djokovic has taken a surprise decision. Just days after Rafael Nadal’s retirement, the veteran Serb announced fellow tennis legend Sir Andy Murray as his coach, starting with the 2025 Australian Open.
The announcement of this unexpected partnership has shocked the tennis world. Murray is a multiple Grand Slam and two-time Olympic Gold winner and retired from professional football after the Paris Olympics earlier this year. Djokovic, on the other hand, has won the Australian Open a record ten times, the hard courts having been his surface of choice.
Last year, Djokovic lost in the Australian Open semi-final after a lacklustre display against current World No. 1, Jannik Sinner, losing in four sets. He improved his performances after that, and even after undergoing a knee surgery he reached the Wimbledon final, which he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in a one-sided encounter.
2024 has been an anomaly for Djokovic, as he didn’t win a single Grand Slam or ATP Masters title, though he did get an Olympic Gold, which he had been craving for long. Midway through the season, he shocked the tennis world by announcing his decision to part ways with Ivaniševic. Then came his unexpected exit from the US Open in the third round, which raised even more eyebrows, with his under-par performances having even raised questions regarding the future of his playing career.
Amidst all these lingering questions and doubts on his future, it came as quite a shock when Djokovic announced his association with Murray. The recently-retired Brit seems like a very strange choice for a coach, as he doesn’t have any prior coaching experience at the elite level. It makes one wonder how he could help his former competitor.
Additionally, when we examine his record at the Australian Open, it becomes even more perplexing. Murray reached the final five times and was defeated by Djokovic in four of them. Perhaps Djokovic is now seeking a fresh perspective on how to improve both physically and mentally as he now faces younger, more energetic opponents that no longer view him as unbeatable.
Even if we look at their respective playing styles, Djokovic is the superior and better all-round player. Murray was a player who worked hard for every point, made his opponents play extra shots, and was a defensive player with counter-punching tactics. Djokovic, meanwhile, has a far more effective style of play with a better serve, return of serve, forehand, and backhand, making this association even more bizarre.
As they work together in the off-season to prepare for the first Grand Slam of the 2025 season, it remains to be seen whether Djokovic returns back to his usual dominant self next year by starting strong at the Rod Laver Arena.
Also read: Novak Djokovic — Is this the beginning of the end?
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