Andy Murray’s coaching debut turns awkward amid Novak Djokovic’s frustration

Well, it was not exactly the dream debut for tennis’s new celebrity double-act. Sir Andy Murray’s first match in the coaching box found him looking on awkwardly as Novak Djokovic struggled to put away the world No 107.After about an hour’s play, when 19-year-old Nishesh Basavareddy had established an unexpected lead, Djokovic looked towards his player box, made a talking sign with his hand, then held out his arms in obvious dissatisfaction.

The message? One could probably put it in Delia Smith terms: “Let’s be ‘avin’ you!” Or, to be more formal, “Please could you provide me with a little more verbal encouragement.” Up until that gesture, which arrived when Basavareddy held a 6-4, 1-2 lead, it had been a curiously flat performance from Djokovic. He was massaging the ball rather than really hitting it, and allowing his stylish young opponent, who was playing his first match at grand-slam tournament, to push him around the court.

Djokovic’s frustration lasted another 20 minutes or so before he finally managed to score his first break of serve. This allowed him to roar cathartically at the crowd, while Murray stood up in the player’s box and clenched his fist.
After that tension-defusing moment, Djokovic was able to play more freely. Meanwhile Basavareddy, who had been sprinting to and fro like a 400-metre runner, began to shut down physically. This was unsurprising, as the youngster was having to deal with the extended best-of-five-set format for the first time.

From there, the evening took on a sense of inevitability as Djokovic forged towards a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory in just under three hours. And yet, the 10-time Australian Open champion still looked agitated and disgruntled as he walked to the net after clinching match point. He glanced at his support team, made a sort of “get away with you” gesture, and seemed to be chuntering angrily about something or other.

It was a strange reaction, but it only lasted a second or two. Djokovic is a master of the post-match interview, and he composed himself in time to smile his way through a cosy chat with Channel Nine’s host. “I am thrilled to have him in my corner,” said Djokovic of Murray. “I must say it was a bit of a strange experience to have him courtside in my box. We played for over 20 years against each other at the highest level. Great to have him on the same side of the net.

“He gave me some great advice mid match,” Djokovic added. “He’s been doing really well. It’s been an enjoyable experience. Hopefully we don’t stop here.” Later, in the interview room, Djokovic spent a lot of time praising Basavareddy, while also admitting that he had been too passive from the back of the court. This should concern him, because it continues a pattern from 2024: a year when he had failed to land any of the four major titles for the first time since 2017.

Murray’s arrival was supposed to change all that. It was intended to pump up Djokovic’s tyres, and give him a new burst of motivation. But it takes time to build a relationship with a first-time coach, and there did not seem to be an immediate chemistry here. With luck, it will develop as the tournament goes on.

When asked about Murray again, this time in the post-match press conference, Djokovic adopted an almost romantic tone. “It’s not necessary for us to exchange words,” he said, sounding like a starry-eyed honeymooner. “We just look at each other and we know what happened on the court.”

If anything, though, it was all a bit too chummy on Monday night. There was a sense that Djokovic didn’t want to vent too violently towards his new associate, just as partners in a freshly-minted relationship do their best not to break wind in front of each other.

The end result was a slightly stilted mood, which only livened up once Djokovic began to grind Basavareddy from side to side in the third and fourth sets. This coach-player dynamic is sure to be analysed at great length in the locker room, by a player group which is still trying to digest the shift from rivals to comrades. Meanwhile, coaches around the game will be smiling wryly at Murray’s recent admission that “I’ve found it a little bit more demanding than I expected.”