Serena Williams' childhood coach Rick Macci gives his verdict on Novak Djokovic's Andy Murray coach appointment

Serena Williams' childhood coach, Rick Macci, shared his thoughts on Novak Djokovic's appointment of Andy Murray as his coach. The 69-year-old believes that while a coach's perspective can be valuable, self-reflection is the key.

On Saturday (Nov. 23), the 24-time Grand Slam winner surprisingly announced that Andy Murray will be his new coach. The Serb has been without a coach since March 2024 after parting ways with his previous coach Goran Ivanišević, with whom he had worked for six years. Murray, who retired at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after 19 years on the ATP Tour and won 46 titles, now has his eyes set on winning his first title as a coach.

On Sunday, Macci posted on X that while Andy Murray could offer valuable insights as the Serb's coach, the biggest improvement in Djokovic’s game would come from self-reflection.

“Was asked if Andy Murray coaching the Joker will make a difference in his game next year. A different voice is always good. A different set of eyes is always good. But who can help him the most is Mr. MIRROR. @DjokerNole” Rick Macci wrote.

They have faced off 36 times on the ATP tour, with the Serb winning 25 of those encounters. As players, their most recent meeting came in the final of the 2017 Qatar Open, where Djokovic defeated Murray 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.

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Andy Murray will coach Novak Djokovic as he competes for his 11th Australian Open title

Andy Murray & Novak Djoković - Source: Getty

Novak Djokovic aims to extend his record for the most Australian Open titles to 11 as he prepares for the tournament, which will run from January 12-26, 2025. To assist in his preparation, he has brought Andy Murray on board. Of Djokovic's 10 Australian Open titles, four came after defeating Murray in the final.

According to a statement on the Serb's website, Murray expressed excitement saying:

"I'll be joining Novak's team during the preparation period, helping him prepare for the Australian Open. I’m really excited about it and I'm looking forward to being on the same side of the net for a change. I'm also grateful for the opportunity to help him achieve his goals,” Andy Murray said.

The 2024 season was the first time since 2005 that Djokovic didn’t win an ATP title. Looking forward to moving past the tough year, he said:

"I'm excited to have one of my greatest rivals in my team, on the same side of the net, this time as my coach. I am looking forward to starting the season together with Andy and having him by my side in Melbourne, where we've shared many extraordinary moments throughout our careers” Novak Djokovic said.

Andy Murray will now be the third player to have topped the ATP rankings to coach Novak Djoković. Other former World No. 1 players who have coached Djokovic include Andre Agassi and Boris Becker.