The tennis world thrives on surprises, but this one takes the cake! From shocking defeats to eyebrow-raising partnerships, fans have seen a lot—but nothing quite like this. Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, and Andy Murray, his long-time rival and tennis legend in his own right, are teaming up in a way that no one could have predicted.

While it is common for rivals to share moments of camaraderie at times, one coaching the other is hardly seen on the courts. But Djokovic and Murray are flipping the script as the Scot star would join his Serbian counterpart as his coach cum mentor and will be with him at least till the end of the Australian Open next year. Yes, you read that right!

The news was confirmed by both Murray and Djokovic who are thrilled and excited for the latest partnership. In a statement Murray, who played his last match in the doubles category at the Paris Olympics this year, said, “I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the off season, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open. I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.” The partnership, meanwhile, is interesting also because Murray is joining Djokovic for a tournament where he faced defeats in the finals four times against the Serbian. 

Remember, Murray and Djokovic have played against each other 36 times on the courts and have clinched victories in 25 of them. However, this does not make his latest partnership with the former player any less exciting for him. Commenting on Murray joining his team, Djokovic said, “I am excited to have one of my greatest rivals on the same side of the net, as my coach. Looking forward to start of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy, with whom I have shared many exceptional moments on Australian soil.”  The rumors about Nole’s partnership with a high-profile entity have been under speculation for quite some time now. 

In an interaction with Sport Klub, Djokovic’s compatriot and former player Viktor Troicki earlier said, “We saw each other briefly, and I even heard that something was brewing with a new coach, with a big name. I don’t know anything about that. That’s the gossip I heard yesterday, I didn’t hear from him.” This, meanwhile, comes at a time when the Serbian has been facing some challenging times in terms of his coaching team.

For the unversed, Serbian Maestro has not added a permanent coach to his team after splitting up with Goran Ivanisevic in March this year. While he joined forces with Nenad Zimonjic and Boris Bošnjaković he made it clear that they were just a temporary solution. But now, it seems like the star player has found a great addition to his team. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic is completely pumped up for an exciting 2025 season and even more so with the latest addition.

Novak Djokovic opens up on his plan for next season

Novak Djokovic witnessed a sensational season this year. Despite facing a serious injury at the French Open, Nole managed to make a quick comeback and clinched the runner-up title at Wimbledon. Besides, he also bagged the prestigious gold medal for the first time in his career at the Paris Olympics. Now, as he looks forward to beginning his next year, he is completely pumped up and preparing with immense determination. 

In an interaction with Sport Klub about the same, Nole said, “Tennis is still my focus. I am going at full throttle in the off-season, we go for another ride. I just needed to recharge and refresh a bit after an exhausting year.” Continuing further, he added, “I am going to play in the first week of the season, I am just not sure yet where. Then, of course, Australian Open.”

Now, it remains to be seen how Andy Murray’s presence will impact his gameplay. Will Djokovic win his 25th Grand Slam under Murray’s guidance? Well, only time will tell.