Djokovic to be coached by Murray for 2025 Australian Open

During Andy Murray’s emotional retirement ceremony this summer at Wimbledon, his interviewer, Sue Barker, wondered whether Murray would be keen to return purely as a spectator. She noted he had many options; a spot among the club members, an invitation into the royal box or even the commentary booth.

Murray, however, had other thoughts: “I’d probably be more comfortable sitting up there in a coaching box than somewhere else,” he said, pointing to the seats his own coaching team occupied.

There was never any doubt Murray would go on to be a coach once his career ended, but on Saturday Murray still shocked tennis and beyond with the announcement he will be Novak Djokovic’s new coach and they will work together during the off-season until at least the end of the Australian Open. It is one of the most astonishing coaching partnerships in recent memory.

As two of the leading players of the past 20 years, this pairing is unprecedented. Their own particular history makes it even more fascinating. Murray and Djokovic were born a week apart in the middle of May 1987 and they first met each other as 11-year-olds, with Murray easily winning their first match in 1998.

That marked the start of a rivalry that has linked them for a monumental 26 years. They have faced each other 36 times, including seven grand slam finals, with Djokovic winning 25 of their meetings.

While Djokovic smothered Murray to win four of his 10 Australian Open titles and then his fourth consecutive grand slam title at the 2016 French Open, Murray won his first grand slam title at the US Open in 2012 and his historic first Wimbledon title in 2013.