Novak Djokovic has admitted it felt ‘strange’ opening up to Andy Murray about his secrets as part of their new coaching partnership after decades of battling against one another at the highest level.
A surprise announcement came in November where Djokovic revealed he would be teaming up with Murray up until the end of the Australian Open.
Murray retired from professional tennis after the Paris Olympics and had hinted previously that he would be tempted to step into coaching.
The pair began their working relationship this month with Murray spending 10 days with Djokovic before the latter flew out to Brisbane.
Novak Djokovic has been working with Andy Murray
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Murray is set to join Djokovic in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open, with a decision being made later on whether they will continue working together or not.
The whole experience has been a learning curve for Djokovic, who thanked Murray for helping him prepare for the start of the 2025 season.
“Being on the same side of the net is actually great for a change because he’s been one of my greatest rivals,” Djokovic said on the ATP website.
“In a way it was strange for me to share all these kinds of insights about how I feel on the court, sharing some of the secrets of what I’m going through, what I’m thinking about, how I see my game with somebody that has been always one of the top rivals.
“But I’m so glad and very thankful that he has accepted to work with me here in Australia.
“The 10 days that we spent together were terrific. I enjoyed every bit of it. He’s very meticulous, he’s very dedicated, so professional.
“He has a unique perspective on my game as one of the greatest rivals that I’ve had. He knows the pros and cons of my game.
“He has also played up to recently on the tour, so he knows all the other best players currently in the world, the youngsters and the weaknesses and strengths in their game. So I look forward to it, I really do.
Andy Murray retired from tennis in the summer
PA
“I think he’s bringing a fresh look to my game and I think I’ll be able to benefit from that, no doubt, on the tennis court. But also that kind of champion’s mentality that he has, I’m sure that we’ll match very well.”
The Brisbane International represents Djokovic’s first tournament since the Shanghai Masters where he’s hoping to reach 100 ATP Tour titles.
He will also partner Nick Kyrgios in the doubles, who is making his long-awaited return from injury.
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It’s the first tournament Kyrgios is playing in 18 months and he’s looking forward to stepping onto the court alongside Djokovic.
“He kept messaging me over and over again. I was just like, I’ll give him a little handout and give him the pleasure of playing doubles with me,” Kyrgios joked.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun. Look, kid from Canberra gets to play with the greatest of all time in his hometown in front of the fans is pretty special.
“It’s something that I’m able to tell people when it’s all said and done that I played doubles with him. It’s pretty special.”