We have more information about the coach Novak Djokovic has consulted before chasing his record 25th Grand Slam title in men's tennis.
Andy Murray, a retired professional tennis player who represented Great Britain in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, has been selected by Djokovic to be his new coach. GB News reports that Murray's current focus is to fine tune Novak's skill set so he can compete with the game's rising stars.
Toiling in the lab before the pursuit of history
Murray's foray into coaching is very fresh, as the British athlete retired last August. GB News reports that Djokovic doesn't want his new coach to completely overhaul his playing style ahead of the Australian Open. At 37 years old, Djokovic understands what gives him the best chance to win and wants to hone in on those skills instead of investing in new ones.
Djokovic's 2024 season was one of the most challenging of his career. The only tournament he won was the 2024 Olympic Final in Paris. After a long break to refresh himself, the former #1 player in the world fell to #7 in the World Rankings. Now, Djokovic aims to refine his tactics so he can place highly at the Austrian Open and enter a new window of success.
When asked about his working relationship with Murray, Djokovic raved about Andy's interest in exploring the nuances of Novak's playing style and past success. Djokovic's positioning and ability to project match ups with his opponents are topics he and Murray frequently discuss while working together during practices.
Djokovic believes he can improve every shot in his arsenal and master all the fundamentals he built up throughout his time as a pro. The ultimate plan Djokovic and Murray have created is minor in scope. However, it appears Novak only wants to gain a slight edge against his competitors instead of making major news for updating his repertoire.
Djokovic's patience heading into the Australian Open makes sense, as he is a 10-time winner of the event. Djokovic's most recent victory came in 2023 when he defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas in the championship round.
Andy Murray's history as a former rival on the court gives him a unique level of insight into Djokovic's weaknesses. Murray and Djokovic will use this insight to ensure Djokovic closes any gaps and wins games with his smooth play, decades of experience, and mastery of tennis' heralded fundamentals.