Andy Murray is working with Novak Djokovic as his coach as the Serbian aims for his 11th Australian Open title – and one former tennis player has had his say on their partnership
Andy Roddick believes that Andy Murray will have a dilemma on his hands – no matter if Novak Djokovic wins the Australian Open or faces an early blow in their working relationship.
The British former Wimbledon champion has transitioned from the tennis courts to being Djokovic’s main coach, and he has the task of leading the Serbian to his 11th title Down Under. It has been smooth sailing so far, with Djokovic reaching the third round to play Tomas Machac on Friday.
However, former US tennis star Roddick feels that Murray is damned either way when it comes to working with Djokovic – as he will either cop the blame or take too much of the credit for whatever outcome awaits Djokovic in Australia.
Speaking to Betway, 42-year-old Roddick said: “Here’s what I think is going to happen: If Novak does really well, we’re going to give Andy Murray – who I think has one of the highest tennis IQs ever – too much credit. And if something weird happens, we’re going to give Murray too much blame.”
Roddick did note that few people would gain the trust of Djokovic for him to be able to talk about strategy when it comes to the sport he is an icon in, insisting the partnership with Murray should pave the way for more success.
He added: “Novak’s not going to change too much from what has got him to 24 Slams and 10 titles in Australia. It’s as simple as this – there are very few people that Novak can sit across from at dinner and talk about tennis and strategy, who understand the moment and what he’s trying to do, and whose brain he respects enough to actually consider their opinions.
“I think Andy Murray is one of those few, so it makes sense in so many ways.”
Murray retired in 2024 with two Wimbledon titles, one US Open and two Olympic gold medals – meaning he is arguably one of the most successful British athletes to compete in tennis.
His former counterpart and current student Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion, and he is looking to work alongside the Serbian to bring more silverware his way before his own eventual retirement.
Roddick believes that Murray and Djokovic’s partnership will work out in the long run due to their previous bond from playing against one another. He also noted that it will be a “massive benefit” for the 37-year-old Djokovic as he continues his stellar tennis career.
Roddick added: “The common ground with both is that there was never any stone left unturned. They’re both still extremely curious, despite all their successes. It does help that they’ve known each other for so long.
“I worked with Jimmy Connors and we didn’t know each other before we got together, and while it was a super beneficial relationship, there was this ice-breaking part of it. They can just skip right over that, which is a massive benefit for Novak at this point in his career.”
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