Novak Djokovic is one of the modern-day greats of tennis history. The Serbian is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No.1 than any other player. He announced on Saturday that his retired long-time opponent Andy Murray will join the 24-time Grand Slam winner’s coaching staff, beginning with the Australian Open in January. He won the Australian Open a record ten times, defeating Murray in four Melbourne finals.
Murray won three major titles, including two Olympic singles gold medals, and completed 2016 atop the ATP rankings. In August, he resigned from playing after the Paris Summer Games. They began playing each other as juniors and eventually met 36 times as professionals, with Djokovic leading 25-11. This includes an 11-8 head-to-head lead in finals and an 8-2 record at Grand Slam tournaments. Djokovic failed to win a Grand Slam in 2024.
The 37-year-old Grand Slam winner has dropped to seventh in the rankings. Jannik Sinner, who will finish the year as the runaway world number one, defeated him in the Australian Open semi-finals. At the same time, Novak Djokovic fell in straight sets to Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final. He is tied with Margaret Court for any player’s most major singles titles. And would love to surpass the Australian in Melbourne.
Novak Djokovic’s Murray gamble is a masterstroke
Novak Djokovic ended his coaching tie with Goran Ivanisevic in March, despite winning 12 Grand Slams. Former Wimbledon champion Ivanisevic admitted Djokovic is “not an easy guy” due to his desire to make history in the sport. Djokovic said, “I am very excited about this and look forward to being on the same side of the net for a change.”
After the appointment of Murray, he said, “I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the offseason, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open. I’m really excited about 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.”
