Novak Djokovic introduced that he has employed longtime rival Andy Murray to be his new coach forward of the 2025 season.
The 2 shared the information in a press release and video on social media Saturday, explaining Murray, who retired from his aggressive profession after the Olympics in July, would work with Djokovic in the course of the offseason and at the least via the Australian Open.
“I’m excited to have one in all my best rivals on the identical facet of the online as my coach,” Djokovic mentioned. “Trying ahead to [the] begin of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy with whom I’ve shared many distinctive moments on the Australian soil.”
Murray added he was “actually excited for it and looking out ahead to spending time on the identical facet of the online as Novak for a change, serving to him to attain his targets.”
Djokovic and Murray, each 37, had been born one week aside in Might 1987 and first performed towards one another as promising 11-year-olds. Since that first assembly, which Murray gained, the pair would go on to have dozens of memorable matches on the junior degree and on the ATP Tour. Djokovic in the end held a 25-11 profession file over Murray, together with 4 victories in Australian Open finals. Murray defeated Djokovic for 2 of his three profession main titles on the 2012 US Open and Wimbledon in 2013.
In March, Djokovic break up with coach Goran Ivanisevic after six years — and 12 Grand Slam titles — collectively and had not employed a everlasting alternative since. After successful three main titles, together with his record-tying twenty fourth general, in the course of the 2023 season, Djokovic uncharacteristically struggled in 2024 and did not win a Grand Slam or a tour-level event of any form. He did win his first Olympic gold medal in Paris, one thing he had by no means been in a position to obtain in his earlier 4 Video games appearances.
Having skipped the year-end ATP Finals, wherein he was the defending champion, Djokovic ended the season at No. 7.
In a publish on Instagram and X asserting Murray’s rent, Djokovic wrote, “He by no means preferred retirement anyway,” alluding to Murray’s publish after his ultimate match wherein he joked he “by no means even preferred tennis anyway.”
“We had a number of the most epic battles in our sport. I assumed our story could also be over, [but it] seems it has one ultimate chapter,” Djokovic narrated within the video. “It is time for one in all my hardest opponents to step into my nook.”
The 2025 Australian Open will get underway in Melbourne on Jan. 12. Already the winningest singles participant within the Open period on the occasion, Djokovic can be searching for his eleventh title, which might tie him with Margaret Court docket for probably the most ever. It will additionally break his tie with Court docket for probably the most main singles titles in tennis historical past.
