Novak Djokovic said his decision to appoint former rival Andy Murray as his coach was a “surprise for everyone” but “exciting for tennis”.
Britain’s three-time Grand Slam champion Murray, who retired from tennis in August, will work with Djokovic in the off-season and in preparation for the Australian Open.
Djokovic, who has a record 24 major men’s wins, admitted to Sky Sports that Murray was “a bit off-guard” on the phone.
But the 37-year-old Serbian said the pair “connected really quickly” and it took Murray just a few days to agree the role, less than four months after ending his career at the Paris Olympics.
“It took me about six months to figure out what I needed to do at this stage of my career,” said Djokovic, who is tied with Margaret Court for the most major singles titles of any player.
“I realized that the perfect coach would be someone who had been through the experience I was going through, probably a multiple Grand Slam winner and world No. 1.
“We discussed Andy Murray and I said I’d give him a call and see how it goes. It put him a bit on edge. We connected really quickly and he said yes a few days later.
“I couldn’t be more excited. This collaboration is surprising for everyone, including me, but it’s also very exciting for tennis.”
