Novak Djokovic makes career-breaking move with major Andy Murray appointment

In a major shocking move, Novak Djokovic has roped in former rival Andy Murray as his new coach. The duo will start working in the off-season and will partner at the 2025 Australian Open as their first competitive tournament.

Djokovic recently broke up with long-time Goran Ivanisevic and was playing the final stretch of the 2024 season without a permanent coach in his corner. Despite winning the gold medal at the Paris Olympics, the season was a poor one for the Serb, who ended the year without an ATP title to his name.

On Saturday, November 23, the 37-year-old announced the shock decision that Murray will be his next coach, taking to social media. In a video he shared, Djokovic welcomed the three-time Grand Slam champion to his team, stating that this will be the final, albeit unexpected, chapter of their rivalry.

"I thought our story maybe over, but turns out there was one final chapter. It is time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner, welcome on board, coach Andy Murray," Djokovic said in a video montage.

Andy Murray himself was an active part of the ATP Tour until August this year and played his final match at the Paris Olympics before hanging up his racket.

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic's tennis rivalry

Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade v Alba Berlin - Turkish Airlines EuroLeague - Source: Getty

Prior to the appointment, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray shared a fierce rivalry on the tennis court. The head-to-head between the duo is 25-11 in favor of the Serb.

Their most recent encounter came in 2017 when Djokovic prevailed in three sets in the final of the Qatar Open. After that, the duo were scheduled to face at the Madrid Open in 2022, but the Brit had to pull out at the last minute due to injury.

For his 2013 Wimbledon win, Murray took down the Serb in the final. He also beat him in the final of the 2016 ATP Finals to finish the year as the World No. 1, his first and only time achieving the honor of being the year-end top dog.

2025 will be an important year for the pair, as 37-year-old Djokovic will look to win his 25th Grand Slam title and overtake Margaret Court as the player with the most Major trophies won in tennis history. The Serb will be seeded outside the top 4 at the Australian Open for the first Slam of the season, having slipped to World No. 7 in the year-end rankings for 2024.