Can Murray help Djokovic win the Australian Open?

Djokovic seeks—in the absence of the motivation his old rivals provided, and the urgency the new gen brings—that one title that will put him ahead of all tennis players

- Arun Janardhan

Andy Murray knows a thing or two about how to play Novak Djokovic. Murray has beaten Djokovic 11 of the 36 times they have met on the men's tennis tour—not a figure in his favour. But eight of those wins have come on a hard court, the kind used in the Australian Open.

Murray also knows a thing or two about unusual coaching choices. At the peak of his career, the Scotsman got Amelie Mauresmo, one of the first women to take up this role on the men's tour, to guide him. So when Djokovic hired Murray, who retired as a player last year after the Paris Olympics, to coach him for this year's Australian Open, the strange novelty of the combination instantly made it the most intriguing aspect of this year's opening Grand Slam. What it does for Djokovic is to get a (former) opponent to fight in his corner; what it offers fans is the sight of two contemporary greats working from the same side of the net.

The Australian Open in Melbourne, beginning 12 January, is a significant marker for Djokovic, who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, his 100th career title and a 11th Australian Open at a time when younger rivals attempt to edge him out of relevance.

It's especially significant because in 2024, Djokovic did not win a single Grand Slam title, for the first time since 2017. He had just one title last year—a gold medal at the Olympics—his lowest number in 19 years as a pro. His ranking has slipped to seventh, the lowest since 2017, a year when he didn't really play much tennis.

What Djokovic, one of the greatest male tennis players ever, needed was a dramatic reset, and getting a recently retired, arch rival as coach, may just be the key to pull him out of the rut. If Murray knows how to beat Djokovic, he would be able to estimate what it takes for Djokovic to stay unbeaten.