At the back of Rod Laver Arena, looking for a little coolness in the shade, Andy Murray observes his former great rival. With an attentive gaze, he examines Novak Djokovic, his new protégé, stringing together forehands and backhands from the baseline. When he is not playing ball boy in silence, the Briton interacts with his player to provide him with observations and advice.
Recruited at the end of November, three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray, just retired as a player (after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games), joined the team of Serbian Novak Djokovic. But what can it bring to someone who has already won everything? Just a few weeks after this announcement, which left no one indifferent in the world of tennis, the new duo already has lofty goals: lifting the title in Melbourne, nothing less. “The first thing I see in this association, analyzes Arnaud Clément, ex-top 10 and consultant for franceinfo: sport, This is already the strong signal sent by Novak Djokovic, who wants to show how motivated he is for the upcoming season, to win a new Grand Slam title.”
“He didn’t team up with Murray to be satisfied with a quarter or semi-final.”
Arnaud Clément, former world top 10at franceinfo: sport
Back in his garden, Novak Djokovic, who has won ten times in Melbourne, is looking for his 25th Major, which would make him the only record holder for Grand Slam titles won, in front of Margaret Smith Court. “I wanted someone who had won several Grand Slam tournaments, (…) who really understands what it means to win a Grand Slam, to face adversity, pressure, expectations,” commented Novak Djokovic at a press conference in Melbourne, Friday January 10, three days before his first round against young American talent Nishesh Basavareddy (133rd). “[Andy a] a very high tennis IQ. We all know it. He did an incredible job, especially after his surgery, his artificial hip, winning tournaments after that, playing at challenger level, (…) showing everyone what it means to be a champion in the true sense of the word”, once again greeted the Serbian, currently 7th in the ATP, who finds him “naturel” in this new role.
In view of the Serbian’s track record and his long experience, this new association will mainly aim to resolve “micro details from a tactical point of view”, continues Arnaud Clément. An analysis shared by the Swede Mats Wilander, seven-time Grand Slam winner. “Of course, Novak knows the overall tactical plan he is going to put in place against this or that player. But, here, we are going to be in the ultra-detail, of those which often change a match. For example, how Sinner does it serve at 15-30? Or at 30-A?, he dissects to our colleagues from The Team. In training, Murray will make him work in this direction. Djokovic will learn. Better yet, he’ll believe it. Because Murray knows the answers.”
“If he was a tactical genius, that’s why too. It doesn’t mean that Novak will win for sure, but he is sure to have more information before he steps on the court. “That’s what can help him win one more Grand Slam.”
Mats Wilander, seven-time Grand Slam winnerat The Team
Andy Murray will also bring him “the vision he has of his game and the small details on which he thinks he could still improve. This constant search for improvement is absolutely extraordinary”, considers Arnaud Clément. “We communicate a lot about all aspects of the game, my game, tactics, mental approach, communication on the pitch during matches, training sessions,” Novak Djokovic further clarified at a press conference. “Andy can say to him: ‘Why did you play that stupid shot in that important moment? Why hit that forehand that you only have a 40% chance of hitting?’ without Novak being offended. Andy has a sensitivity to details that no one has. He will have Novak’s ears because he respects his career 100%. completes Mats Wilander.
While this collaboration has only just begun, Novak Djokovic is already convinced. “I think his unique perspective on my game is due to the fact that he has been playing against me for 25 years. (…) He knows the evolution of my game, its weaknesses and its strengths,” he confided to the media in Melbourne before the start of the tournament.
If Novak Djokovic relies on the search for details to raise his level of play ever higher, it is also to compensate for a certain loss of endurance, legitimate at 37 years old. “Djokovic is aware, even if it is not necessarily seen all the time, that physically, he is a little less strong, especially in the repetition of efforts, and that he cannot play today the same number of tournaments than in the past”, explains Arnaud Clément. Despite his experience and his experience, the Serbian has never hidden his desire to improve and perfect himself, again and again. “He knows what he is losing and to compensate, he is looking to gain in other sectors,” underlines the former world top 10.
Just retired, Andy Murray can also count on his very good knowledge of the circuit and the playing styles of current players such as those in the top 3, currently composed of Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz. “Better than anyone in the world, he knows the problems Novak has against them,” supports Mats Wilander in the columns of L’Equipe.
The Australian Open will therefore be the first real test for this duo at the 27 Grand Slams, before planning for the future. “I thought it would be a good idea to spend some time in Australia in the offseason to see how it goes for both of us, because it’s a little different. It’s not the kind of setup usual, said Andy Murray at Guardian. So it made sense to give it a try and see if it works. And then we said we would make a more definitive decision after the tournament.”
