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 throughout the offseason and at the least via the Australian Open.
“I’m excited to have one among my biggest rivals on the identical facet of the online as my coach,” Djokovic mentioned. “Wanting 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 searching ahead to spending time on the identical facet of the online as Novak for a change, serving to him to realize his objectives.”
Djokovic and Murray, each 37, had been born one week aside in Could 1987 and first performed towards one another as promising 11-year-olds. Since that first assembly, which Murray received, 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 cut 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 total, throughout the 2023 season, Djokovic uncharacteristically struggled in 2024 and didn’t 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 submit on Instagram and X saying Murray’s rent, Djokovic wrote, “He by no means favored retirement anyway,” alluding to Murray’s submit after his remaining match wherein he joked he “by no means even favored tennis anyway.”
“We had a few of the most epic battles in our sport. I believed our story could also be over, [but it] seems it has one remaining chapter,” Djokovic narrated within the video. “It is time for one among 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 shall be searching for his eleventh title, which might tie him with Margaret Court docket for probably the most ever. It could additionally break his tie with Court docket for probably the most main singles titles in tennis historical past.