Novak Djokovic makes his feelings known about Andy Murray's coaching after Carlos Alcaraz victory at Australian Open

Novak Djokovic shared his thoughts on Andy Murray’s coaching after his victory over Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open. The Serb had brought Murray onto his coaching team ahead of the tournament last year.

On Tuesday, January 21, at the Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic faced Alcaraz in the Australian Open quarterfinals. Despite a rocky start, with Djokovic dropping the first set, he quickly regained his form as the match went on. After an intense three hours and thirty-seven minutes of play, he emerged victorious with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win, earning his spot in the Australian Open semifinals.

During a post-match press conference, Novak Djokovic was asked about his former rival and current coach, whom he brought on board to help him chase a record-breaking 25th Major and his 11th Australian Open title. Reflecting on their partnership, Djokovic shared his thoughts, mentioning how he even went over to Andy Murray after his match to acknowledge the bond they’ve developed.

“Yeah, I mean, I felt to do it in the end of the match. I feel more and more connected with Andy every day," the Serb said.

He shared that they have worked through numerous challenges to grow together while staying dedicated to their careers.

“We face challenges every single day. People don't see that obviously. I mean, we try to make the most out of every day and grow together. He's been as committed to my career and this tournament as he can be.”

The Brit retired from tennis in August 2024 but has since joined Novak Djokovic in his efforts. Djokovic expressed his gratitude for Murray’s presence, support, and dedication.

“So it was kind of a, yeah, gesture of appreciation, respect for him, and the fact that he's out there, and he doesn't need to be. He accepted to work with me. He's giving all his support to me, to the whole team, and trying to make it work,” Djokovic said.

He added:

“This was a huge win for all of us, including Andy and myself, you know, for the relationship. Yeah, that's why I went to him, because I just felt very grateful that he's there.”

Novak Djokovic to play Alexander Zverev in Australian Open 2025 SF

Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev at 2025 Australian Open Previews - Source: Getty

Novak Djokovic is set to take on Germany's Alexander Zverev in the Australian Open 2025 semifinals on Friday, January 24. This highly anticipated clash will mark their 13th meeting, with Djokovic leading their head-to-head rivalry 8-4.

Following his thrilling win against Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, Novak Djokovic brought some humor to the post-match on-court interview. He jokingly mentioned having an "agreement" with Alexander Zverev, where the German would let him win their Grand Slam matches in exchange for coaching tips.

"We have an agreement as long as I play he's going to let me win Grand Slam matches," Djokocvic said.[6:00]

Earlier this month, during the ‘A Night with Novak’ charity event, Alexander Zverev revealed an interesting deal he had with the 24-time Grand Slam champion. Zverev shared that Novak Djokovic had agreed to coach him for one year after retiring from professional tennis. Zverev said:

"People don't know that me and Novak, similar to Andy, I don't know, but me and Novak have a deal that once he retires from tennis he's gonna coach me for a year, as well.”

He joked that Djokovic is delaying his retirement just to avoid having to coach him.

“So he just wants to postpone this until I retire so he doesn't have to do that," he said.