Murray, 37, said he sometimes felt embarrassed by all the attention he was receiving in Melbourne, as Djokovic’s wider team had done an “incredible job over many, many years”.
He and Djokovic have maintained a good friendship throughout their years on tour, having been born just weeks apart and grown up as junior rivals.
He joined Djokovic’s team at a pivotal time. Djokovic won a much-wanted Olympic gold in 2024, but that was the only title he won that year, and lost in the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz.
Speaking in January, Djokovic said he was “pleasantly surprised” with Murray’s “dedication and professionalism” as a coach.
“It comes natural to him. His IQ generally and tennis IQ is very high. He observes and speaks when is most important,” Djokovic said.
“I think he understands the moment when he needs to say something and what to say and what to ask.
“I must say at the beginning it was a bit of a strange feeling to be able to share the insights with him, not just about the game, but about how I feel, about life in general.
“Not in a negative way, but just in a way I have never done that with him because he was always one of my greatest rivals.”
