BELGRADE, Serbia – After recently hanging up his racket, Andy Murray will act as coach for Novak Djokovic ahead of the Australian Open.
Representatives for Murray issued statements on behalf of both men on Saturday. Murray said he would join Djokovic’s team to help him prepare for the first major tournament of the upcoming campaign.
“I’m excited to have one of my biggest rivals on my side of the net as coach,” Djokovic said. I can’t wait for the start of the season to compete in Australia alongside Andy, with whom I shared several exceptional moments on Australian soil. »
Djokovic has won 24 Grand Slam tournaments and held the top spot in the ATP rankings for 428 weeks, more than any other player in the history of the tour. He has not had a full-time coach since parting ways with Goran Ivanisevic in March.
Murray, for his part, has won three major titles and two Olympic gold medals. He retired after the Paris Games last summer.
The two 37-year-olds were born a week apart in May 1987. They began fighting each other as juniors and crossed swords 36 times as professionals. Djokovic won 25 of these duels.
“Djoko” notably dominated 11-8 in finals and 8-2 during Grand Slam tournaments. He won his titles in Australia in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016 at the expense of Murray.
“We’ve been competing against each other since we were boys – 25 years of being rivals, pushing our limits,” Djokovic wrote on social media. We fought some of the most epic battles in our sport. I thought maybe our story was over. Turns out there’s a final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to enter my camp.
“Welcome aboard, “coach” Murray. »
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