Novak Djokovic Finally Breaks Silence on Why He Ended Coaching Partnership with Andy Murray

Novak Djokovic's best performance under Andy Murray came at the Miami Open where he reached the final.

Novak Djokovic Finally Breaks Silence on Why He Ended Coaching Partnership with Andy Murray

Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

Novak Djokovic was expected to work with Andy Murray till this year’s Roland Garros, but as the partnership did not produce results, it ended when the recently concluded Italian Open was underway- the tournament he missed for the first time since 2007. Murray is now doing a completely different job.

He is an associate partner at an investment firm, Redrice Ventures, while Djokovic is in Geneva for the ATP 250 event, which will conclude a day before the French Open kicks off. Second seed in the tournament, Djokovic received a bye and will lock horns with Marton Fucsovics in the second round.

He will be hoping to finally register a win on clay this season, as in his previous two clay-court tournaments- the Monte Carlo Masters and the Madrid Open, he lost his opening-round matches without winning a set. In his pre-tournament press conference in Geneva, Djokovic commented on why he decided to part ways with the three-time Grand Slam champion.

We felt like we couldn’t get more out of that partnership on the court, and that’s all there is to it. My respect towards Andy remains the same, even more actually, I got to know him as a person. I think he has a brilliant tennis IQ, he has a very rare mind of a champion that obviously has achieved what he has achieved, and he sees the game incredibly well.

It was Djokovic who approached the Scot after the latter called time on his career at the Paris Olympics last year. In November, Nole dropped the video announcing the partnership on his social media, sending shockwaves across the tennis world as no one had expected the old rivals to team up.

The Australian Open was their first tournament and Djokovic did perform incredibly, as en route to reaching the final, he knocked out World No.2 Carlos Alcaraz in four sets in the quarterfinals. It was injury that ruined his chance to take home his historic 25th Major.

After he lost the first set of the semifinal against eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev, Djokovic deemed it best that he should stop. Djokovic’s best performance under Murray was his Miami Open run as he reached the final but fell in straight sets against youngster Jakub Mensik.

Tomas Machac makes his feelings known about his match against Novak Djokovic

Last year at the Geneva Open, Novak Djokovic progressed to the final. It was Tomas Machac who ended his run with a three-set victory to even the head-to-head record at 1-1.

Novak Djokovic Monte Carlo Masters 2025
Novak Djokovic (via Instagram/Rolex Monte Carlo Masters)

The 37-year-old then took revenge on the Czech ace by beating him in the third round of the Australian Open. Machac too is in the Swiss city and will be starting his campaign against Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the second round. Ahead of his match, the 24-year-old recalled the lone victory he registered over the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

Beating ‘Nole’ is like winning a title. He’s the best tennis player, the one who holds all the records. I’m so happy to have a victory over him in my pocket.

Djokovic will meet Machac again if both of them reach the semifinals. If Djokovic beats Marton Fucsovics, he will play the winner of the second-round match between Matteo Arnaldi and Fabian Marozsan in the quarterfinals.

After Geneva, the tennis world’s focus will shift toward the French Open, where Djokovic set up a quarterfinal match against Casper Ruud last year but an injury forced him to withdraw. Djokovic will be chasing his fourth Roland Garros, his 100th ATP, and his first title since the 2024 Paris Olympics he won by beating Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets.

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