London, November 24 (IANS). After nearly a decade with many tough matches under his belt, former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic has appointed his one-time rival Andy Murray as his coach for the first Grand Slam of the 2025 season in Australia.
Djokovic, 37, of Serbia, announced on social media on Saturday that longtime friend and rival Andy Murray will be his new coach from the next Australian Open in Melbourne. Murray retired from professional tennis earlier this year at the Paris Olympics.
Born a week apart in May 1987, both climbing to the top of the ATP rankings and competing on the world’s biggest stages, Djokovic and Murray have faced off in 36 ATP head-to-head showdowns, of which the former won 25. They have met in 19 finals, including championship matches at seven majors and the 2016 ATP Finals. He most recently played in the 2017 Doha final.
Announcing their partnership in a video message on his social media channels, Djokovic said, “We’ve had some of the greatest matches in our sport. They called us game-changers, risk-takers and history-makers. I thought that Our story is over. But it turns out it’s time for one of my toughest rivals to step in. Welcome Coach Andy Murray.”
Djokovic said, according to his official website, “I’m excited to have one of my biggest rivals on my team, on the same side of the net, this time as my coach. I’m looking forward to starting the season with Andy and getting back to Melbourne. I look forward to being with him where we have shared many extraordinary moments during our careers.”
Murray was also excited about the partnership. Murray said, “I will be joining Novak’s team during his preparation and helping him get in the best possible shape for the Australian Open. I am very excited about it and look forward to being on the same side of the net for a change.” I’m also grateful for the opportunity to help them achieve their goals for the coming year.”
According to Infosys ATP Stats, Djokovic recorded a 37-9 match record in 2024. In January he will try to win his 11th Australian Open title to reach 100 career titles.
Djokovic is the most successful tennis player in the Open Era, having won a record 24 Grand Slam titles, while the 37-year-old Murray has won three Grand Slam titles, including the Wimbledon title in 2013 and 2016. Along with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, they were part of the Fab Four of tennis for many years.
–IANS
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