Novak Djokovic has hired former rival and longtime friend Andy Murray for the upcoming Australian Open 2025. After splitting up with coach Goran Ivanisevic of six years earlier this summer, it seems like the 24-time Grand Slam champion is counting on his friend Andy Murray (who retired after the Paris Olympics) for the new season.
While fans have been loving this duo, the strangeness of the combination has not gone unnoticed. And that’s precisely when John McEnroe came up with a rather epic theory regarding the same.
During broadcasting duty for Eurosport at the Australian Open, McEnroe took the opportunity and come up with the “he is coming back” theory for Andy Murray. As per the former World No. 1, the coaching situation is the craziest thing he has ever seen.
McEnroe said, “The coaching situation with Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic—it’s fun, but it’s got to be the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. I remember being in Australia when they told me that Murray was going to be coached by Ivan Lendl, my great rival and nemesis from way back when. I thought about it, and I said, ‘Oh my god, this is going to work.“
Continuing further, McEnroe joked about how there is a big age gap of 1 week between the two, and Andy is actually planning to make a comeback after coaching Djokovic for a couple of months.
This way Murray will get to find out everything he needs to know about how to beat Djokovic on the court and use that knowledge to push his Grand Slam count.
“But there’s a big age gap; there’s a one-week age gap between Novak and Andy, and he’s just stopped playing. So my theory is Tim – tell me if I’m wrong – that Murray’s going to coach Djokovic for the next couple of months and then he’s going to find out everything he needs to know about how to beat Djokovic. And then he’s coming back. What do you think about that theory?”
As expected, the epic theory was an instant hit among tennis fans, eliciting a plethora of reactions online.
The rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray
Murray and Djokovic have met 36 times on the ATP Tour, with Djokovic leading with 25 wins. They have played in seven Grand Slam finals, with Djokovic victorious in five of them.
While making the hiring announcement and welcoming Murray to his team, Djokovic revealed how he thought their story may be over, but now it seems like one final chapter remains. He even called Murray his “toughest opponent,” who has now stepped into his corner to prepare for the next season.
He said, “I thought our story may be over. It turns out it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome aboard, coach Andy Murray.”
With that being said, do you think Novak Djokovic will be able to defeat these younger generations to claim his 25th Grand Slam title? Well, only time will tell.
