Despite being almost 38 years old and winning many titles, Novak Djokovic still loves tennis very much and wants to achieve great results in 2025. The former world number 1 has been practicing hard in recent weeks for the start of next season, in which he will try to prove to the world that he is still competitive at the highest level.
If he had not won the gold medal at the Paris Olympics during the summer, his 2024 would have been considered a failure. The 37-year-old from Belgrade did not win a single title during the year and – for the first time since 2017 – closed an entire season without winning a single Major.
Nole has shown some signs of decline compared to the past and his motivation has dropped, especially in second-tier tournaments. Precisely for these reasons, the Serbian reflected on his current status and decided to hire his former rival Andy Murray as a coach.
The 3-time Grand Slam champion will help him at the 2025 Australian Open and will be able to give him very useful advice for the rest of the season as well. The former Scottish champion retired from professional tennis a few months ago and knows all of Novak’s opponents well, including Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
Djokovic’s 2025 will start very soon, as the world number 7 will be one of the protagonists of the Brisbane International. The 24-time Grand Slam champion will also play doubles alongside Nick Kyrgios.
Mouratoglou on Djokovic’s choice
Nole’s decision to hire Murray – who has no experience as a coach – really surprised everyone. The feeling is that the Serbian legend needs new motivation at this point in his career and the support of a friend like Andy could be of great help to him.
In a recent interview, top coach Patrick Mouratoglou reflected on Djokovic’s strange choice: “Andy and Novak have shared the court countless times, battling fiercely in some of tennis’s greatest rivalries.
Their games share similarities—supreme court coverage, tactical brilliance, and consistency under pressure. Few people understand Novak as deeply as Andy does. But the real question is: can Andy reignite Novak’s motivation?
Motivation is the one thing Novak needs most right now. After dominating the era of the Big Three, outlasting both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Novak has little left to prove.”
He continued: “Andy, known for his calm attitude and incredible intelligence, might just be the person to help Novak tap into that fire again. While Andy isn’t the type to bring raw energy to the team, he brings something equally valuable — strategy, intelligence.
This partnership is more than just about coaching; it can be understood as a statement. Two legends saying to the younger generation, “We’re not done yet. Show us you’re ready to take over.”
A lot of curiosity
It is unclear how far Murray will travel during the year to follow the 24-time Grand Slam champion. The former world No. 1 has a beautiful family and will also be on a theatrical tour in the summer of 2025, which is why he will only be able to help Novak in a limited number of tournaments.
These two legends will try to find new solutions to allow the Serbian to defeat opponents much younger than him in the most prestigious tournaments. Djokovic will be the number 7 seed at the Australian Open and may have to face Italian Sinner or Spaniard Carlitos Alcaraz already in the quarterfinals. No one can underestimate Nole in a tournament like the AO, in which he triumphed ten times and wrote pages of tennis history.
During an interview with ‘Tennisnet’, former ATP ace Jurgen Melzer opened up on Djokovic’s chances in 2025: “Novak has to train differently, more intelligently than when he was 30. He can no longer carry the same workload, he has to carefully choose the areas in which he wants to improve. A body at his age regenerates at a different speed, that’s why he brought Murray to the team, because he has been through everything in recent years.”
Melzer also discussed the amazing collaboration between Nole and Andy: “I think it’s an incredible combination, which is extremely good for tennis. Apart from the huge headlines he has generated, I think Andy can help Novak a lot – there are very few who have his IQ on the court.
Even a legend like Djokovic can learn a lot from him, he still has a lot to hear, so now he can discuss a lot of topics with Murray, who can look him straight in the eye. That could lead to a very successful partnership,” he said.
