Andy Murray’s ex-coach urges tennis world to ‘never believe anything’ they read about Novak Djokovic after the Serb makes quick recovery
World No.7 Novak Djokovic suffered from a muscle rupture at the 2025 Australian Open, but he has almost fully recovered.
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Novak Djokovic (via Instagram)
Novak Djokovic was expected to be back on the circuit not before a couple of months after he suffered from a muscle tear that eventually forced him to quit his semifinal clash with Alexander Zverev at the 2025 Australian Open. Djokovic, in a recent interview, stated that his injury is almost healed, and he’s ready to follow his schedule.
Djokovic is planning to play in the Qatar Open next. He is set to make his return to the ATP 500 tournament in Doha for the first time since 2019. As Djokovic is making a quick recovery, Mark Petchey, who coached Djokovic’s current coach Andy Murray, advised himself and others to ignore whatever is being said about the Serb in the media.
Novak is ahead of schedule in his recovery, I think it’s phenomenal that he’s looking to be 100% for the Qatar Open. Because obviously, a few weeks after being injured in Australia, there were some rumors suggesting that he would only return in Madrid, on clay. So, I have a pretty simple piece of advice to understand Djokovic, never believe anything you read about him.
Mark Petchey said on the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast
If Djokovic plays the Qatar Open and goes all the way to the final and clinches the title, then it will be his 100th ATP title and first tour-level title since the 2023 ATP Finals. The tournament starts on February 17.
Andy Murray found coaching Novak Djokovic challenging
Andy Murray retired at the 2024 Paris Olympics but was back on the tour when he agreed to be Novak Djokovic‘s coach. He was in the coaching pod throughout Nole’s Australian Open campaign and his advice too was valuable to Djokovic. But coaching the 24-time Grand Slam champion was not at all an easy task.
I enjoyed certain parts of it. I enjoyed the matches. I liked sitting at the side watching matches from a different perspective. I enjoyed the analysis, the strategy, and everything. I really liked that, but I also found it very challenging.
Andy Murray said on the Sporting Misadventures podcast
During the podcast, when Murray was asked to pick a player from the Big 3 (Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal) he would like to coach, the Scot snubbed his current protege and said it would’ve been fun to be in the Swiss maestro’s entourage. Murray, who initially was part of Djokovic’s team till the Australian Open, will be in the Serbian great’s box till Wimbledon.
The 37-year-old from Scotland, the winner of two Wimbledon titles, played his career’s last tour-level match at 2024 Wimbledon (canceled his singles and played doubles with brother Jamie Murray). Djokovic, on the other hand, will be bidding for his eighth title at SW19.
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Gouri Das
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