- Shock news sees Djokovic praise arrival of ‘one of his greatest rivals’ in his team
- Pair have faced off in four finals in Melbourne – all won by the Serbian superstar
- Murray retired this summer after doubles with Dan Evans at the Olympics
In one of the most sensational appointments the game has ever seen, Novak Djokovic has hired his old rival Andy Murray to coach him during the Australian Open.
Djokovic commented: ‘I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net, as my Coach. Looking forward to start of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on the Australian soil.’
Murray commented: ‘I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the off season, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open. I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals’.
Djokovic beat Murray in four Australian Open finals, and in 25 of their 36 meetings overall.
It has long been suspected that coaching would be the natural next step for Murray, but for him to begin with the 24-Grand Slam champion – and the man who denied him more times than any other – is a huge surprise.
And what an intriguing call by Djokovic – going into a season which could conceivably be his last. He has been without a main coach since March when he dispensed with the services of Goran Ivanisevic, and obviously feels that collaborating with Murray could give him the extra push he needs to compete with the new young stars of the tour: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
Djokovic went without a Grand Slam title this year for the first time since 2017, but he did finally win an Olympic gold medal in the singles, a prize for which he has strived his entire career.
Sharing a video announcement to his Instagram page, Djokovic poked fun at Murray’s retirement social media post earlier this year which had claimed he had ‘never liked’ tennis with his own missive.
‘He never liked retirement anyway (hands up emoji)’, Djokovic wrote.
Murray called time on his 19-year career this summer, with a final doubles run-out alongside partner Dan Evans at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Before his swansong at Roland Garros, Murray was treated to a ceremonial farewell on Centre Court at Wimbledon, which featured a number of his old opponents – including Djokovic – paying tribute to his titanic achievements.
