The announcement of Andy Murray’s coaching deal with Novak Djokovic caught the whole tennis world by surprise.

Djokovic took to social media on Saturday afternoon to reveal that one of his biggest rivals would now be on the same team, initially on a short-term arrangement for pre-season training ahead of accompanying him at the Australian Open.

What could it mean and is this the start of a lengthy coaching career for Murray? Sky Sports Tennis commentator Jonathan Overend took a closer look at the deal and some of the questions around the partnership…

Did the announcement come as a surprise?

“Totally – I had to check the calendar to make sure it wasn’t April 1st! I mean, we’ve had some interesting and exciting partnerships in tennis over the years, even with Novak Djokovic.

“You look at his hires of Goran Ivanisevic and before that Boris Becker. There was Andre Agassi for a short while, while Andy Murray had Ivan Lendl. But Djokovic and Murray? No, did not see that coming.

“It’s a rivalry which goes right back to junior days. They were born within seven days of each other in May 1987 and that mirroring of their junior career went into the senior ranks as well.

“They played each other more than 30 times in some of the biggest matches, of course, and now a role change for Murray as he tries to help Djokovic win one more Grand Slam.”

What has their relationship previously been like?

“Have they always been mates? I’m not necessarily convinced of that. There was a famous photograph after Murray lost the 2015 Australian Open final, when he was sort of glaring a little bit and I wondered what he was thinking at the time.

“It’s a rivalry which has really developed. The Wimbledon final of 2013, of course, multiple other Grand Slam finals, the French final of 2016, which was an extraordinary achievement for Murray to get that far.

“Djokovic won their first few battles and certainly was almost like one step ahead in terms of his career progression at the very highest level. He’s still going at the age of 37 and I just think this is a fascinating partnership.

Why is Murray taking this job?

“I’m surprised how quickly it has been for Murray to take a prime job. Three months into retirement, and he’s coaching arguably the greatest player of all time – that’s not bad in terms of career progression!

“What happens if Djokovic wins the Australian Open? Does Djokovic retire on the spot? Does the relationship therefore end and Murray has done his job and can walk away and say, ‘I’m the greatest coach the world has ever seen’?

“I think he’d love to work with younger players. I’m sure he’d love to work with British players as well. I gather he’s had no shortage of offers since he has actually retired. But, clearly, this is one that excites him.”

How could this benefit Djokovic?

“The Australian Open is a tournament that Novak has done so well in over the years. 2024 was a bit of a changing of the guard in men’s tennis, in the sense that he didn’t win one of the big prizes. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, more than a decade and a half his junior, did and won two apiece.

“Now the challenge is for Djokovic, how do I get back on the winner’s rostrum? How do I unseat Sinner, unseat Alcaraz? He knows he’s got the game, but now it’s about the strategy. That’s where Murray can come in and bring his huge tennis IQ.

“What Murray can bring is that unique perspective of playing Novak, of losing to him, but also beating him, working out ways to dismantle the Djokovic game on the biggest stages against and in the biggest matches.

“I can see Andy reflecting on some of those battles over the years, but also analysing the opponents, breaking down the Sinner game, the Alcaraz game and looking at Djokovic’s strengths that he can look at with first-hand experience and say, ‘what can you do that can really get the better of these young bucks’?

“I think there’s every chance that this could be a really successful relationship.

What will Murray’s coaching style be?

“That will be an interesting moment, won’t it, if there’s a little bit of tension between the courts and the players’ box? We’ve seen Andy dish that out over the years to numerous coaches and I wonder what will happen if Novak does it to him.

“I think the ‘telling it like it is’ point is a really interesting one, because you don’t always get that from coaches in tennis. Coaches sometimes feel they’re lucky to have a job and don’t necessarily want to rock the boat.

“It’s an interesting dynamic, a curious dynamic, when you come into the camp of someone who effectively knows more than you do. What can you bring? What from the outside can you add?

Could Murray stay Djokovic’s coach for longer?

“I think this Djokovic proposal is interesting in the sense that it could be just one tournament, it could be one Grand Slam, it could be a Grand Slam-winning relationship, and could be a mic-drop moment from Djokovic?

“He gets to 25, wins the title with Murray in his corner and decides to retire on the spot. It’s entirely possible. So then what happens? Murray can look at absolutely those British players moving forward and I’m sure they would have him on board in an absolute heartbeat.

“Could Andy Murray change the boundaries in terms of what we perceive as the correct player-coach relationship? Could he become more of a consultant working at distance? Could he be on the end of a phone? I’m sure he is right now.

“I think there are so many options moving forward for Murray in the coaching world. One thing’s for sure, when he has this taste with Djokovic, I’m sure it will give him the bug again.

“Not the bug of playing, but the bug of being there at the big events, trying to work out ways of beating the best, because that’s what Murray has done his whole life and I don’t think he wants that to stop.”

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