He was never going to stay on the golf course for long. As much as Andy Murray may have enjoyed sending his handicap plummeting towards zero, a man never forgets his first passion and the boy from Dunblane has always been madly in love with tennis.
Still, it would have taken something special to lure the 37-year-old back after less than four months of retirement, and it doesn’t get more special than this. News came on Saturday night that Murray will coach Novak Djokovic as he attempts to win his 11th Australian Open title. Even for a notorious eccentric like the Serbian, it is a fantasy: a fictional story of tennis fans turned into an exciting reality.
In an Instagram video posted with highlights of their rivalry, Djokovic narrated: ‘We have played against each other since we were kids. Twenty-five years of being rivals, pushing each other beyond our limits. We had some of the most epic battles in our sport. They called us game changers, risk takers, history makers. I thought our story might be over. Turns out it has a final chapter.’
There is poetry in the fact that the 37-year-old, with the twilight of his career on the horizon, has turned to a man he has known all along. Born exactly one week after Murray, these two grew up competing as juniors and played 36 times as professionals.
Djokovic was cordial with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, but he was always the closest to Murray. They shared a feeling of being outsiders at times and, with their dominant backhands, aggressive return game and counter-punching styles, there were many similarities in their game.
So there is an element of sentiment in this appointment, but it is also a statement of intent. There were rumors this fall that Djokovic’s focus was drifting; with Olympic gold embedded as the last jewel in his crown, they said, what else is there left for him to do?
Andy Murray (right) will coach Novak Djokovic in one of the most surprising stories in tennis
It is a fantasy, a fictional story of tennis fans turned into an exciting reality.
Djokovic is giving notice that he is ready to launch one last effort to surpass his current rivals.
By making such a risky, left-field appointment, Djokovic is signaling that he is ready to make one last push to surpass Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, and that Murray is the man to help him do it.
The Scot has the potential to be an exceptional coach. His tennis IQ, his reading of the game is as good as anyone in history and he has an obsessive interest in all aspects of the sport. From statistics to racquet technology to training methods, Murray was never willing to take a coach’s word for it: he had to see it, try it for himself.
What a start this is to his coaching career. If you decide to make it your calling for the foreseeable future, then what better way to start than by tapping into the brain of the greatest player of all time.
Djokovic said on Saturday: “I’m looking forward to the season starting and competing in Australia alongside Andy with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on Australian soil.”
Those moments may have been exceptional for Djokovic, but they were miserable for Murray. They met five times in Melbourne and Djokovic won all five, including four finals. If Djokovic wants to score a 25th Grand Slam next year, then his best chance will surely be Australia, and in Murray he has turned to the man who brought him closer than anyone else there.
Watching these two great personalities interact will be fascinating. United in their thirst for success, they are in many ways very different people: Djokovic is serious and spiritual; Dry and earthy Murray.
A social media video they made during the lockdown summed up the contrast. They were asked what’s the first thing they do when they wake up and Djokovic responded: “Gratitude and prayer, a couple of long deep breaths, hugging my wife and running to my kids.” And you, Andy? “I’m going to pee.”
The two have always been good friends, feeling like outsiders with similar playing styles.
At 39 years old, Djokovic seeks to overcome the threat of Carlos Alcaraz (left) and Jannik Sinner (right)
Time will tell what the appointment will bring, but the partnership has the potential to be special.
But they say opposites attract, and while their deal is only until the end of the Australian Open, if all goes well (if Murray can coach Djokovic to the title), why would either man cut the cord? ?
If this partnership can live up to his expectations, Murray could return to Wimbledon in one of those seats from which his long-suffering coaches felt the scourge of his tongue.
Djokovic is also not averse to ranting in the coaches’ box: would he shoot an old friend? There are some former Sir Andy employees who might smile at seeing the tennis shoe on the other foot for once.