‘Imagine if Messi coached Ronaldo’: how Murray 2.0 will need to adapt to flourish with Djokovic
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Five months after retiring, the Scot is throwing himself into his work with the most successful men’s player of all time. At the height of the Covid-19 lockdowns almost five years ago, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray logged on to Instagram Live for a casual conversation from their homes. As some of their viewers began to send through questions, they were asked to list the first three things they do when they wake up. Djokovic went first: “Gratitude and prayer,” he said. “A couple of long, deep breaths. Hugging my wife if she’s still in bed and running to my children.”.
![[Tumaini Carayol]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2022/03/01/Tumaini_Carayol_v2.png?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Murray, who seemed to be fighting hard to maintain a straight face throughout Djokovic’s response, offered his own contributions: “For me, too much information, but I go for a pee.”. It is fair to say they are two extremely different people away from the tennis court, but for so much of the past 25 years their careers have been intertwined. Having first met 24 years ago while standing across the net from each other in Les Petites As, the prestigious under-14s event in France, the two players, born one week apart in May 1987, broke through on the ATP Tour around the same time and battled each other for years around the world on the biggest stages of their sport.
![[Andy Murray offers Novak Djokovic some advice during a training session in Melbourne]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9e63ae4229e9d2a7219ac2d34cb2421dc1c9e336/0_0_6417_4278/master/6417.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
On court their similarities were undeniable, from the rock-solid defensive base and tireless endurance both players built in their games through to their unwavering commitment to their craft and intense demeanours. Even as Djokovic distanced himself from Murray with his superior achievements, eventually outpacing even Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the respect he holds for Murray as another of the best players of all time is eternal.
![[Novak Djokovic, right, and Andy Murray pose for a picture at the net before the final of the 2016 French Open]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/324719f604d6172cb7766420edf1a857e24a5bb7/0_0_5184_3456/master/5184.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
