Novak Djokovic’s decision to bring Andy Murray into his corner as a coach for the 2025 Australian Open has sent shockwaves through the tennis world, as noted by rising star Holger Rune. This unexpected pairing of two fierce competitors from the past signals that Djokovic, despite his age and incredible career, still has the hunger to compete at the highest level.
The announcement of this collaboration took the tennis community by surprise, as the two rivals—who faced off on 36 occasions between 2006 and 2017—have now chosen to unite in a high-profile coaching relationship. Rune, reflecting on the move, sees it as a powerful message: Djokovic, at 37, is still chasing more Grand Slam titles, despite having already clinched an astonishing 24 major trophies.
While 2024 saw Djokovic fail to add to his Grand Slam tally and openly question his motivation for the game, Rune believes that the choice to team up with Murray shows the Serbian’s resolve to continue striving for greatness. “I’m sure it is his goal to win a couple more Grand Slams,” Rune said during the UTS Grand Final in London. “This year his goal was to win the Olympics, and he managed to do that. Maybe that was his only goal, and after that, I don’t know about his motivation.”
However, Rune is certain that with Murray now in the mix, Djokovic’s hunger for more is clear. “I’m sure now he wants to win more Grand Slams,” he added. “It’s an interesting set-up, for sure. I don’t think many of us would have seen it coming, and it could be very good for both of them.”
Murray, embarking on his first coaching venture, brings an intelligent and strategic mind to the table—traits that Rune believes will benefit both men. “Andy is obviously a super intelligent guy and someone who has beaten Novak a few times,” said Rune. “When I was thinking about why they’ve come together, you realize they can talk about strategy, they’ll discuss how to beat the best players, and both of them have a very high IQ in tennis. It’s going to be very interesting to see.”
Rune acknowledges that if he faces Djokovic in Australia, he will, of course, be looking to beat him, but he can’t deny the potential benefits of this new partnership. “Of course, if I played against Novak in Australia, I will try to beat him,” Rune said, showing his competitive spirit.
As for Rune’s own coaching preferences, the young Dane, who burst onto the scene with a stunning win at the Paris Masters in 2022, was asked about his dream coach. While he smiled and responded, “I don’t need another coach right now,” he did share his admiration for one of Djokovic’s biggest rivals, Roger Federer. “I’m a massive fan of Roger Federer, so why not! But I don’t think he’s into coaching right now,” Rune quipped.
Djokovic himself admitted that the decision to team up with Murray caught him off guard. He had been reflecting on his needs heading into the 2025 season, especially after parting ways with his longtime coach, Goran Ivanišević, earlier in the year. “I was going through a process of thinking about next season in the last couple of months,” Djokovic explained to Sky Sports. “I was trying to figure out what I need at this stage of my career, because I stopped with my (former) coach Goran Ivanisevic, who I was very successful with and worked for many years, in March.”
As Djokovic looks to recalibrate and prepare for what could be a crucial year in his illustrious career, the partnership with Murray will no doubt add a fresh layer of intrigue to the Australian Open and beyond.