NO DJOKING MATTER
Andy Murray opens up on taking abuse from Novak Djokovic as he gets to grips with new career at Australian Open
Djokovic eyeing all-time record but faces tough draw at Australian Open
ANDY MURRAY is ready for a taste of his own medicine when he is in Novak Djokovic’s box.
The former Wimbledon champion has started his new coaching job with the 24-time Grand Slam winner ahead of the Australian Open.
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Murray, 37, never shied away from shouting and screaming at his team during matches over the years as a player.
But now in his new role off the court, the Brit has no qualms about whatever verbal volleys of abuse Djokovic will aim at him during the heat of battle.
Speaking at Melbourne Park after his skiing holiday, Murray said: “I would think that I'd be one of the people that would hopefully understand that side of things.
“I know it's not easy out there and it's stressful and at times he's going to want to vent towards his team and his box.
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“Providing that he's giving his best effort and trying as hard as he can, I'm absolutely fine with him expressing himself how he wants.
“Hopefully, as a coach, I'm able to see the game through Novak's eyes and help him with the right strategy on the court.
“In many ways, we are quite similar characters, so I would hope I would empathise with him on the court when he's finding it stressful, understanding those emotions, I can help with that.
“You have to be very careful with emotional players, to stop them from doing that, or stop them feeling like they're able to if they need to. Sometimes suppressing everything is also not the right way.
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“I've had experiences of that as a player and watched other players. The description often of how the players look in those moments is that they look very flat. And that's also not what you want.
“Obviously, there's a balance (but) as long as he's giving his best effort and trying his hardest, I'm absolutely here for all of that. I'm not wanting anything different.”
‘No injuries just yet’ jokes Andy Murray as he takes up new sport for 2025 after tennis
Australian Open 2025 men's singles preview
By Joshua Jones
THIS Australian Open men’s singles is one of the most exciting in a very long time because there is so much history on the line.
World No1 Jannik Sinner is the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz is aiming to become the youngest man in the Open Era to complete the Career Grand Slam and Novak Djokovic is desperate to claim the outright record for the most singles Grand Slam titles in history.
On paper, one has to favour Sinner off the back of a staggering 2024 season and finding himself on the ‘easier’ side of the draw.
His biggest threat is a potential semi-final with either Taylor Fritz or Daniil Medvedev - the two men he beat in his Major finals last year.
Djokovic has won TEN Australian Opens but the Serb’s Slam-less 2024 means he is only the No7 seed and faces a tricky route with No3 seed Alcaraz in the quarter-finals then No2 Alexander Zverev in the semi.
So with three of the four favourites on one half and Sinner and his clinical hard-court performances on the other, it is hard to tip anyone other than the Italian.
The second quarter has the potential to open up with giant server Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Aussie Alexei Popyrin possible banana skins for Fritz and Medvedev in round three.
A number of high seeds are at risk of an early exit.
Alex De Minaur (No8) faces Botic van de Zandchulp who knocked Alcaraz out of the US Open, Andrey Rublev (No9) has got exciting teenage Brazilian qualifier Joao Fonseca who could have a breakthrough tournament while Holger Rune (No13) takes on Zhang Zhizhen for the right to play Matteo Berrettini or Cameron Norrie.
Murray revealed Djokovic texted him out of the blue while he was on the golf course in November - just three months after he retired at the Olympics.
But after discussing the “pretty unique opportunity and experience” with wife Kim, the former world No1 accepted the job offer from his old rival.
The pair - born seven days apart in May 1987 - faced off in seven Grand Slam finals, including Murray’s US Open 2012 and Wimbledon 2013 triumphs.
Their new partnership is initially until the end of the Australian Open, when they will reassess over the long-term future.
And it means their primary goal is teaming up to help Djokovic win his record-breaking 25th singles major, which would move him clear at the top ahead of Margaret Court on the all-time list.
The Serbian already has ten Australian Open crowns to his name but faces a tough draw Down Under.
The No7 seed faces 19-year-old world No133 Nishesh Basavareddy in round one but could meet Reilly Opelka in the third round, just a couple of weeks after the 6ft 11ins American giant stunned him in Brisbane.
Then it could be his Wimbledon nemesis Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals, Alexander Zverev in the semis with defending champ Jannik Sinner, who dumped Djokovic out in the semis 12 months ago, the favourite to be waiting in the final.
But although he wasn’t missing tennis, Murray is relishing being back in the competitive environment again.
He added: “I was enjoying being away from the tour and I really hadn't watched much tennis. I had not missed playing or competing or being on a tennis court at all.
“Obviously when I thought about it, I was like, 'I want to be here because I want to try to help Novak win and try and do the best job that I can'. And I'm working as hard as I can to do that with him and his team.
“At times it's very enjoyable but high performance is not supposed to be like laughs and jokes and messing around.
“The best players take it seriously and they want to improve, and it's not always easy.
“It's demanding, but it's extremely rewarding when you make a breakthrough in a practice and something starts to feel a little bit better.
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“That's exciting. Obviously, when the tournament starts, it is stressful.
“When you're trying to achieve great things, it's not easy. But the rewards at the end of it can be great. And that's something that I'm looking forward to.”
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Tennis stars’ new careers
PLENTY of tennis stars have stayed involved in the sport since retiring.
But others pursued very different careers. Here are some of the best…
- I reached French Open and Wimbledon finals as a teenager but I quit to become a nun
- I won Wimbledon mixed doubles with my sister but got fed up with English weather so now run luxury B&B
- I was tipped for stardom aged 12 but retrained to become high-flying lawyer
- I earned £9m and won French Open before setting up bistro with Brazilian model girlfriend
- I’m last Frenchman to win Roland Garros, now I’m singer with six albums hitting No1 in charts
- I'm former world No1 but quit aged 29 - instead I went on to play professional poker and golf
- I was destined for the top but swapped lobs for labs as award-winning Harvard physicist
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