Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, once part of a storied tennis rivalry, are now joining forces.
Djokovic has announced Murray as his coach for the 2025 season – a move most would not have had on their bingo cards.
However, the decision makes sense to former Australian Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald and Billie Jean King Cup coach Nicole Pratt, who believe the legendary Djokovic is seeking a different direction at this interesting juncture of his career.
“I don’t think he needs a new coach to come in and say ‘well, just tweak your forehand a little bit this way Novak, and your backhand is not quite what it was’,” Fitzgerald said on The AO Show Weekly podcast.
“He knows what he’s doing. So, I think just as back-up, you’ve also got someone who knew what he was doing, and they can just exchange a few ideas. It’s all they really need.”
Pratt added: “It’ll be like a collaborative approach to what Djokovic is going to go do on court. Andy just giving a couple of pieces [of advice] here and there. ‘Hey, you may want to consider this, what do you think?’
“I come back to the word clarity. If the player knows exactly what they need to do, chances are they perform better.”
Djokovic, currently world No.7, is chasing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles crown, when he competes at Australian Open 2025.
Pratt and Fitzgerald are looking forward to witnessing the dynamic between the two former world No.1s, given Murray’s tennis knowledge.
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“Djokovic has so much respect for Andy Murray’s brain,” Pratt said. “Murray, in terms of current (insights), I just think has so much to offer.
“And then what I can’t wait for is the exchanges when Djokovic is on court and Andy Murray’s in the coaching box. It is going to be some fun times.”
Added Fitzgerald: “It is going to be TV personified!
“They both have a crack, or they all have in their careers, had a crack at the box quite often and yeah, that’ll be interesting.”
Both members of the prestigious ‘Big Four’, Djokovic and Murray battled it out 36 times, with the Serbian leading the head-to-head 25-11.
Many of their career-defining moments came against the other throughout a rivalry which spanned more than a decade.
Djokovic won a record-equalling sixth Australian Open against Murray in 2016; while Murray’s triumph over Djokovic at the ATP Finals later that season ensured he was the first Brit to become year-end No.1.
Four of Djokovic’s 10 Australian Open finals victories – 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016 – came against Murray.
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