Novak Djokovic Gives his Take on the Possibility of Andy Murray Coaching Again After Their Split

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray agreed on parting ways with each other before Roland Garros.

Novak Djokovic Gives his Take on the Possibility of Andy Murray Coaching Again After Their Split

Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray (Image via X)

Novak Djokovic has shared the perspective of Andy Murray returning to the coaching life after their split earlier this month. The duo parted ways shortly after Madrid Open, where Djokovic lost in straight sets to Matteo Arnaldi.

Djokovic believes that Murray will be perfectly content to return to coaching in tennis. The Serb believes that whoever has the three-time Grand Slam champion alongside him will do wonders as the Scottish legend has got a brilliant IQ. Djokovic said in his Roland Garros post-match press conference:

I think I’ve said enough, but I’ll say it again. Andy is an amazing person. Someone I’ve spent most of my career with since a very young age on tour traveling, playing, facing him in Under 12’s all the way to the last days of his career. For him to join my team and for us to give a shot to this player/coach relationship was an incredible thing for tennis and both of us. I was very privileged and honored. I was enjoying myself very much, regardless of the fact that we didn’t have maybe the success we both wanted or people expected us to have.

Djokovic announced Murray as his new coach before the start of the 2025 season. The duo did have some great results together, such as the Australian Open quarterfinal win against Carlos Alcaraz. Moreover, the Serb reached the finals of the Miami Masters. Djokovic added:

Whoever he decides to work with next, if and when, that player is going to be lucky. He has a lot to share. A lot of great insights. It didn’t work out between us in terms of results and what we were hoping for. That’s all there is to it. I actually enjoyed my time very much with him. I feel like we have a closer relationship because of our working relationship the last 4 or 5 months.

However, the results were not satisfactory overall. Eventually, Djokovic had to pull the plug over this hyped partnership after first round exits at Monte Carlo and Madrid.

Novak Djokovic extends perfect Roland Garros record

Former World No.1 Novak Djokovic began his French Open campaign with a straight-sets win over Mackenzie McDonald on Tuesday. The world No. 1, fresh off his 100th career title in Geneva, claimed a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory to move into the second round. This marks his 21st consecutive appearance at Roland-Garros, having first played the tournament in 2005 at the age of 18.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic (Image via X/We Are Tennis)

With this win, Djokovic extended his perfect first-round record in Paris to 21-0. It’s the most main-draw appearances by any male player at Roland-Garros without a first-round loss. His consistency also extends to other majors—he holds a 19-0 record at Wimbledon and an 18-0 record at the US Open in opening matches.

Remarkably, the Serbian has never been taken to five sets in a French Open opener and has only been pushed to four sets twice—in 2008 and 2010. His first main draw win at Roland-Garros came in 2005, where he defeated Robby Ginepri in dominant fashion. Over the years, he’s played against several future top players, including David Goffin and Hubert Hurkacz.

Djokovic is aiming to add a fourth Roland-Garros title to his collection and extend his streak of 16 straight quarter-final appearances in Paris. If he reaches the final eight again in 2025, he would also notch his 100th match win at the French Open.

Novak Djokovic begins 25th Grand Slam title bid

Strong winds marked the early stages of the match, prompting the closure of the roof in the second set when rain arrived. By then, Djokovic had already taken control, winning six of seven games from 2-2 in the first set to build a strong lead. His consistent play from the baseline kept McDonald under pressure throughout.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic (via X/The Tennis Letter)

Though McDonald managed to break Djokovic once in the second set to narrow the score to 3-5, he couldn’t hold off the Serbian’s response. Djokovic broke right back to close out the set and maintained his momentum in the third. He converted five of nine break-point chances, according to Infosys Stats, and kept his unforced errors low.

Last year, Djokovic reached the quarter-finals in Paris before a knee injury forced him to withdraw. He later returned to the venue to win Olympic gold. In the second round of this year’s tournament, he will face either Corentin Moutet or qualifier Clement Tabur.

Also Read: (Video) Jakub Mensik Conducts Symphony of Boos During his Opening Round Match at Roland Garros Against Alexandre Muller