New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) British tennis great Andy Murray has opened up about his coaching journey after retirement, revealing he remains open to returning to the role in the future while also backing Novak Djokovic in his pursuit of a historic 25th Grand Slam title.

Murray, who briefly worked with Djokovic following his retirement from professional tennis, reflected candidly on the experience and the lessons it offered him from a completely different perspective within the sport.

"Djokovic probably learned nothing (from me). No, I learned a lot and honestly, I would coach again but probably not right now. I've had a few opportunities to coach but I don't really want to do loads of travelling right now unless it's with my family,” Murray told Sky Sports.

The Brit, who joined Djokovic’s team in late 2024, described the transition from player to coach as a significant shift, especially after years of competing at the highest level against the Serbian.

"I knew lots about Novak's game. I played against him for years and studied his game. It was interesting to see what his day to day looked like in comparison to what I might have been doing and how those things differ," said the former world No 1.

Murray emphasised that communication and understanding are central to coaching, admitting that his personal life has shaped his approach in this regard.

"From a coaching perspective, it's about how you communicate your message to the player that you're working with and how to listen to them. I really think that having kids has helped me with that - learning to be more understanding and seeing something from another person's point of view and perspective.

"But I felt I learned that a bit from coaching in how to work in a team. When you're the focal point as a player, all the team are working for you, whereas when you're part of a coaching team you're a small part of that trying to help an individual do the best they can,” he said.

Working within Djokovic’s setup also exposed Murray to the complexities of being part of a broader support unit, where diverse inputs must come together to aid one player’s performance.

"You understand your flaws because you're getting thrown in the deep end working with someone as great as he is so it shows up on some of the things you probably need to improve on as well if you want to be a great coach,” Murray stated.

While his coaching stint was short-lived, Murray underlined that the experience enriched his understanding of the sport, even as he continues to weigh future opportunities carefully. Reflecting on his own playing career, the three-time Grand Slam champion said his decision to continue competing despite physical setbacks was driven purely by passion rather than results.

"I could have retired four or five years earlier. If the only reason why you play a sport is the results - I know it's a results business and everybody wants to win - but I kept playing tennis for as long as I could because I loved it. I loved the training, I loved the travelling, I loved the competition, and I could still do that at a really high level but just not at the level I was used to after I had the hip operation so that was hard mentally, but I continued to play because I loved it and I know that at the end - and this is why I don't think I miss the sport that much or have tons of regrets - is because I left when I was ready to and my body was telling me it was time,” he expressed.

The Brit added that stepping away from the game on his own terms has allowed him to look ahead without regret, embracing life beyond the court as he said, "I'm really happy about that because people ask me that question and are really surprised and disappointed that I don't miss it. I think that is what you want as an athlete.

“If you're coming away from the sport and spending four or five years really struggling with that end of your career, then it's not ideal. But I've got lots to look forward to in the future with four amazing kids and a family that I love spending time with. I'm very proud of what I managed to achieve in a very difficult era. I got to play against the three best male tennis players of all time. It was special times.”

Murray’s remarks also come at a time when Djokovic continues to chase further milestones in his illustrious career, with the Serbian still firmly in contention to extend his record-breaking tally of Grand Slam titles.

--IANS

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