Eight months after parting ways with Goran Ivanisevic, Novak Djokovic has alighted on an unlikely new coach in the shape of Andy Murray, the man he defeated in five grand slam finals.
In an extraordinary turn of events, Murray, who has spent most of his time on the golf course since retiring at the Paris Olympics in August, will team up with the Serbian world No 7 ahead of the Australian Open, where Djokovic will attempt to win an 11th title and eclipse Margaret Court as the most successful player in history.
It marks a first move into coaching by a member of the erstwhile Big Four, of whom Djokovic is the only active member following the retirement of Rafael Nadal earlier this week. Roger Federer, the other member of the quartet, bowed out just over two years ago.
The partnership between Djokovic and Murray – childhood rivals, now aged 37, and born just a week apart – will be all the more poignant for the fact that Djokovic was the architect of all but one of Murray’s five losing appearances in the Australian Open final.
“I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net, as my coach,’ said Djokovic, who finished a mixed season without a grand slam title for the first time since 2017 but realised a career-long ambition by winning an Olympic gold medal.
“Looking forward to [the] start of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy, with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on Australian soil.”
Murray will join the Djokovic camp in the off-season and remain at his old rival’s side until at least the conclusion of the year’s first major.
“I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the off season, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open,” said Murray. “I’m really excited for 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.”
Beyond moving ahead of Court, whose all-time record of 24 major titles he equalled with victory at last year’s US Open, those goals are perhaps hard to quantify. At what point will Djokovic, already the most successful male player in history in terms of titles won, be satisfied?
It is perhaps with that question in mind that the Serb has alighted on Murray, whose own work ethic and appetite for victory, combined with his tactical nous and innate love of the game, seem naturally suited to a coaching role. If anyone can keep Djokovic motivated down the final stretch of his career, it is surely the Scot, whose injury struggles in his twilight years make him uniquely placed to articulate the value of getting every last drop out of whatever the former world No 1 has left in the tank.
Given the propensity of both men to vent their spleen towards their coaching box over the years, the dynamics of the relationship promise to be fascinating. Djokovic, however, appears to have no reservations about the potential of the partnership.
“We played each other since we were boys, 25 years of being rivals, of pushing each other beyond our limits,” Djokovic said in a social media video depicting their on-court rivalry. “We had some of the most epic battles in our sport. They called us game-changers, risk takers, history makers. I thought our story may be over, turns out it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome on board, coach Andy Murray.”
Whether the pair can break the stranglehold that Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have exerted over the sport in a season when they have divided the four majors between them remains to be seen. What is beyond doubt is that it will be fascinating to watch them try.