Andy Murray has indicated that he does not anticipate returning to coaching in tennis in the near future, following the conclusion of his recent partnership with Novak Djokovic.
His decision to team up with his former rival as a coach ahead of this year`s Australian Open, announced surprisingly just three months after his own final professional match, caused considerable discussion in the sport.
Their working relationship lasted for a period of six months, ending in May when both players confirmed they would no longer be collaborating.
When asked about potential future coaching roles, Murray commented to BBC Sport: “I would do it again at some stage. I don`t think that will happen immediately.”
He added that he “was not planning on going into coaching as soon as I finished playing,” but viewed the opportunity to work with Djokovic, whom he described as “one of the best athletes of all time,” as a “pretty unique opportunity.”
Murray explained that coaching provides insights into team dynamics. While an individual player is the central figure of their support team, a coach collaborates with various specialists like physios, trainers, and agents. This requires skill in communicating effectively with the player and understanding their motivations.
He sees this aspect of working with a team as a key learning point from his time with Djokovic and something he would need to develop further if he pursues coaching again in the future.
Calling it a “brilliant opportunity,” Murray also mentioned enjoying positive moments with Djokovic away from the court, acknowledging that while “results weren`t as we wanted,” they “gave it a go.”
Concluding his thoughts on coaching, he reiterated, “We`ll see about coaching in the future but I don`t think that will happen for a while.”
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic, now working again with Dusan Vemic and Boris Bosnjakovic, was recently defeated in straight sets by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the French Open semi-finals. Sinner went on to lose to Carlos Alcaraz in a memorable five-set final, lasting five hours and 29 minutes, widely hailed as one of the greatest Grand Slam finals in history.
Looking at the current state of the men`s game, Murray feels it is in a “great place.”
He praised Sinner and Alcaraz, noting, “They`re both brilliant athletes and very different personalities, which I think for fans is really exciting.”
Murray finds Alcaraz`s style “particularly exciting to watch” and believes the two young stars “complement each other well.” He added that they “have already had some brilliant matches” and the recent French Open final, from reports he`s heard, “was one of the best finals for a long time.”
He also expressed confidence in British No. 1 Jack Draper, who reached a career-high ranking of fourth on Monday, stating that Draper “is going to give himself opportunities to win majors over the next five, 10 years.”
Queen`s Club Centre Court Renamed Andy Murray Arena
Murray was speaking on the same day that the historic centre court at Queen`s Club was officially renamed the Andy Murray Arena in his honour.
Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion, holds the record for the most men`s singles titles at Queen`s, winning five times, with his last victory there in 2016. Notably, that Monday also marked the return of a women`s tournament to the renowned London grass courts for the first time since 1973.
Participating in a ceremonial rally with 10-year-old Gloria against his 2012 Olympic mixed doubles partner Laura Robson and 7-year-old Jay, Murray joked beforehand, “My tennis is diabolical, apologies for what you are about to witness.”
Murray, 38, had announced he planned to retire after last summer`s Olympic Games held at Roland Garros in Paris. He ultimately withdrew from the singles tournament – where he had won gold medals in 2012 and 2016 – and ended his competitive career with a 6-2, 6-4 doubles defeat alongside Dan Evans.
Reflecting on no longer competing, he said, “I`ve obviously missed being out here. It`s the first time, obviously, not being involved in a grass court season for a while, but I`ve got a new life now and I`m enjoying being away from the sport a little bit.”
The Scot shared a personal link to the Queen`s Club event, revealing that as a 12 and 13-year-old, he was coached by Olga Morozova, the Russian player who won the last women`s singles title held there in 1973.
When asked about the return of the women`s tournament after more than 50 years, Murray stated, “I think it`s brilliant. This court has had many great matches on it. I think it`s a great chance for women to showcase themselves out there.”
The former world No. 1 made his Queen`s main draw debut aged 18 and competed there for the final time last season before his retirement. He also won the doubles title at the event in 2019 with Feliciano Lopez.
Murray added, “This tournament has so many special moments for me. It`s the place where I won my first match on the ATP Tour, it`s my most successful event.”
He described returning as “coming back here at the start of the British summer” and expressed being “very proud of the results I have here.”
Concluding his remarks, he said he was “very grateful and thankful for whoever it was who decided to name the stadium this way” and hoped for “lots of great matches” that everyone would enjoy.
