Robson, the former Olympic silver medallist, shared her thoughts on how the relationship might evolve. Reflecting on Djokovic’s recent appearance at the Qatar Open, where he was ousted by Matteo Berrettini in the first round, Robson acknowledged the challenge of navigating a new coaching partnership. “It’s always tough when you go into a press conference after a loss like that or a retirement, and [Djokovic] hadn’t processed what happened on the court yet, let alone had a chance to speak to Andy about his schedule,” Robson explained in an interview with Eurosport.
She went on to highlight the complexity of balancing personal and professional lives. “Then you’re talking to someone who’s a multiple Grand Slam champion who also has four young kids. He’s pretty busy at home. I imagine it took them a while to figure out what schedule they were going to be able to do together.” This scheduling challenge was evident when Murray wasn’t present in Djokovic’s coaching box during the Doha event, which led Robson to comment, “Andy, for sure, doesn’t want to do long stints at a time away from home when he literally just retired a few months ago.”
Robson acknowledged the effort involved in ironing out the logistics between the two players and their teams, saying, “I imagine it took some effort to work out amongst themselves and also their agents, I’m sure.” However, she expressed optimism about the future of their collaboration. “The positive is that he’s back and wanting to continue, because I know from seeing Andy on the courts in Australia, he was really excited at the prospect of hanging around and being together again.” Robson noticed Murray’s genuine enthusiasm as he immersed himself in the tactical aspects of Djokovic’s game. “You could see from the side of the court how much he wanted Novak to win,” she added, emphasizing how the partnership is a compelling storyline for tennis fans.
As Djokovic looks ahead, he remains optimistic about the future of his work with Murray. In an interview before the Qatar Open, Djokovic confirmed that the two would continue their collaboration for an indefinite period. “I expressed my desire to continue the collaboration with him, so I am really glad he did accept,” Djokovic said. “It’s indefinite in terms of how long we are going to work together, but we agreed we are going to work most likely in the [United] States and then some clay-court tournaments and see how it goes after that.”
The Serb also reflected on the uniqueness of having Murray by his side, noting, “It was exciting for the whole tennis world and also for us to be in different roles together on the same side of the net. He has a unique perspective on my game: he has played me, he has played all the current best players in the world in my opponents.” The tennis world is certainly intrigued by this new chapter for both players, with the pair’s dynamic offering an exciting storyline to follow.
Next up for Djokovic is the prestigious BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, set to take place from March 5 to March 16. As this new collaboration unfolds, all eyes will be on how it shapes his 2025 campaign.