Will the Andy Murray coaching experiment work for Djokovic?

After a disappointing season by his usual standards and parting ways with his longtime coach Goran Ivaniševi?, Novak Djokovic has taken a surprise decision. Just days after Rafael Nadal’s farewell, Djokovic announced that tennis legend Andy Murray will join him as his coach for the 2025 Australian Open. This unexpected partnership has shocked the tennis world.

Andy Murray is a multiple Grand Slam and two-times Olympic Gold winner. He retired from professional football after the 2024 Paris Olympics in August. Djokovic has won the Australian Open a record ten times and the hard courts have been his most favoured surface to date. Last year, he lost there in the Semifinals in a lacklustre display against current World No. 1 Jannik Sinner which he lost in four sets. Since then, he improved his performances and even after a knee surgery, he reached the Wimbledon finals again which he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in a one-sided encounter. 2024 has been an anomaly for Djokovic as he didn’t even win a single Grand Slam or ATP Masters title. His only redemption came in the form of an Olympic Gold, a prize he had long been craving. Midway through the season, he shocked the tennis world by announcing his decision to part ways with his long-time coach, Goran Ivaniševi?. Then came his unexpected exit from the US Open in the third round, which raised eyebrows across the tennis community. This was a season where, for the first time in nearly a decade, he failed to secure a single major title. The poor performance has sparked doubts about his ability to maintain his dominance, with some even speculating that it might be time for him to retire.

Amidst all these lingering questions and doubts on his future, it was a shock move from Djokovic when he announced his association with Andy Murray. The recently retired player seems like a very strange choice for a coach as he doesn’t have any prior coaching experience at the elite level. Even though Murray is himself a legendary figure in the game, his lack of experience makes one wonder how he can help his far more successful competitor that he played against for so many years. 

Additionally, when we examine his record at the Australian Open, it becomes even more perplexing. He reached the final five times, yet was defeated by Djokovic in four of those encounters. Perhaps Djokovic is now seeking a fresh perspective on how to improve both physically and mentally. He is now facing younger, more energetic, and mentally resilient opponents who no longer view him as unbeatable.

Even if we look at their playing style, Djokovic is a superior and better all-round player in comparison. Andy Murray was always a player who worked really hard for every point, made his opponent play extra shots and was a defensive player with counter-punching tactics. Djokovic has a far more effective style of play with a better serve, return of serve, forehand and backhand and hence this is a seemingly bizarre association in my opinion. 

Although, it remains to be seen how they work together in the off-season to prepare for the first major of the 2025 season and whether Djokovic returns back to his usual dominant self on one of his favourite hunting grounds at the Rod Laver Arena.