The recent news that Andy Murray will be coaching Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open in January has caused considerable excitement within the tennis world. The two men are only a week apart in age and have shared the court in seven Grand Slam singles finals. Once rivals as seniors, the pair get along well due to their shared history. Murray’s appointment is particularly surprising given that he retired from playing just four months ago.
However, Murray’s experience as a player and his reading of the game suggest he has the makings of an outstanding coach. His former coach Jamie Delgado commented that “Andy’s very sharp with the data side of things and the strategy. You would be hard pushed to find someone better than Andy…in terms of getting that final few per cent to make a difference in matches from a strategy point of view.”
Djokovic has frequently worked with Grand Slam champions, including Boris Becker, Goran Ivanisevic, and Andre Agassi; Murray’s presence is likely to prove yet another positive stimulus. Becker was someone Djokovic “would look to for eye contact in the tough moments” and Agassi’s skill was “distilling complex concepts into precise information and reminding him how good he is.” The opportunity to work with Djokovic may be unmissable for Murray; having lost four Melbourne finals to the Serb previously, he may feel he will never have a better chance to win the Australian Open.
Their Melbourne practice sessions are likely to be fascinating, and fans await eagerly to see how their relationship as coach and player develops. “There was just so much on the line [when they were rivals],” says Delgado. “But they had immense respect for each other. Andy always spoke so highly of his [Djokovic’s] game and how difficult it was to play against him. The respect was sky-high.” Whatever happens, Djokovic’s appointment of Murray is undoubtedly one of the most surprising moves of recent times in tennis
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