ANDY MURRAY will sensationally coach Novak Djokovic during the 2025 Australian Open.
Having retired from professional tennis in the summer, the Scotsman will now work with his biggest rival in Melbourne in the first Slam of next season.
In a sensational move, Muzza will join the Serbian’s team as he looks to win a 25th singles major.
The pair, born a week apart, shared many Grand Slam moments on court and Murray, 37, famously beat Djokovic in the 2012 US Open final and then the 2013 Wimbledon final.
That success in south-west London ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a homegrown male champion.
Djokovic, 37, said: “I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net as my coach.
“Looking forward to starting the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on the Australian soil.”
Djokovic also posted a picture of the pair together on Instagram, adding: “He never liked retirement anyway.”
Murray had hip resurfacing surgery in January 2019 which prolonged his career.
But after struggling to return to his top form, he decided to call it quits after the Paris Olympics where he lost in the men’s doubles quarter-finals alongside compatriot Dan Evans.
The former world No.1 and a father-of-four said: “I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the off season, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open.
“I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.”
Andy Murray’s career timeline
SIR Andy Murray is Great Britain’s most successful tennis player of the Open era.
After breaking through in 2005 to reach the Wimbledon third round at 18, the Scot was British No1 by the following year.
In 2008 he reached his first Grand Slam final at the US Open, only to fall to Roger Federer in straight sets.
Two more final defeats at the Australian Open to Federer and Novak Djokovic followed in 2010 and 2011 before heartbreak at Wimbledon in 2012.
Despite taking the first set against Federer, he fell 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4 in front of a home crowd before breaking into tears on Centre Court.
But a month later on the same court he beat the Swiss legend to earn Team GB a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics.
And weeks after that he broke his Grand Slam duck at the fifth attempt, beating Djokovic in five sets in the US Open final.
In 2013, following another Australian Open final loss, Murray beat Djokovic in straight sets to become the first British man in 77 years to win the Wimbledon title.
Three more losing Grand Slam finals followed, at the 2015 and 2016 Australian Opens and the 2016 French Open.
But in his third Grand Slam final of 2016, Murray won Wimbledon again with a straight sets victory over Canadian Milos Raonic.
He followed it up with his second Olympic gold medal, beating Juan Martin del Potro in a four-hour epic in the final in Rio de Janeiro.
Later in 2016 Murray became world No1 – the first British man to do so in history.
Over his career Murray reached 11 Grand Slam finals, winning three. He won two Olympic golds and a silver (in the mixed doubles alongside Laura Robson).
He finishes his career with 46 titles and over £50million in earnings, making him the fourth all-time leader in earnings.
His final match was at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he lost in the quarter-final of the men’s doubles at Roland Garros to USA pair Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz.
Murray’s move into coaching comes after he announced a shock theatre tour next year.
Spanning four dates across London and Scotland, Murray’s ‘Centre Stage’ tour will see him look back over his illustrious career.
He will reveal new anecdotes and the innermost details of a life lived on the ATP Tour.
The show is set to be hosted by BBC sports broadcaster Andrew Cotter, who already has an excellent rapport with the tennis legend.
Theatre goers will be asked to leave their phones at the door for the intimate shows which will allow rare access to one of the UK’s most beloved athletes.
Discussing his upcoming tour, Murray said: “After I retired this summer, I wanted to try some different things.
“I don’t think a tennis player has done anything like this before so it felt like a great challenge for me.
“I haven’t stepped on a tennis court for a long time, so hopefully my fans will enjoy seeing me in this new setting.”
The tour will run for just four nights in June 2025 throughout the UK grass court season, starting in the city of Murray’s birth, Glasgow.
And it conclude at the New Wimbledon Theatre on the eve of the Wimbledon Championships.
Read the full article here
