I was as excited as everyone else to hear the news that Andy Murray will coach Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open. It makes sense to Andy: three weeks in the Australian summer when the weather back home is bad for golf!
As for Novak, he's not stupid, he hasn't chosen him simply because he's going to make the headlines: Andy will be a great coach.
He is quite obsessive about everything he does, including golf, and this will be no exception. He also loves statistics and obviously has an incredible work ethic.
Talking to Andy about the game he is totally different to anyone else – his level of tactical knowledge and his attitude. I remember before a Davis Cup match some of us were talking about the tie and we said, 'Yeah, Andy will beat this guy.' Andy found out and was not happy. He said, 'No, this guy is dangerous and this is how he can beat me,' and then he analyzes the guy's game.
He will bring that level of analysis to each opponent. Novak lost some sets he probably shouldn't have lost last year in the first round of Grand Slams, so maybe Andy can help in that area to be fresher on the business side.
It's great to have Andy back on tour and while Novak is getting his services at the moment, why can't a British player get in touch with him? I'd like to see that, it would be a great acquisition for any British player. At big events and in preparation, no one knows how to prepare for a Grand Slam better than him, so for a Brit to have Andy, perhaps alongside his regular coach, could be an invaluable resource.
Andy Murray to coach former opponent Novak Djokovic at Australian Open
He lost some sets he probably shouldn't have lost last year in the first round of Grand Slams.
Murray will bring an intense level of analysis that has impressed those he has played with.
And that's what Andy will be: a resource. I don't think I'll ever be a full-time coach, traveling 30 to 40 weeks a year. He needs some time away from tennis with his family and golf, he is enjoying his retirement.
But these short periods around a Grand Slam will be perfect for him and will continue for a long time because he really misses it on tour. I hope he is present in Indian Wells because it is always a good trip to play golf!
It's a smart decision on Novak's part. Andy can give him that confidence about his ability but also, if things don't go quite well in training or games, Andy won't be shy about telling him and I think that hasn't always been the case with the people who have coached Novak. previously.
Andy will know everything about any area of Novak's game that people can exploit. They will have sat down and talked about their matches, what their tactics were with each other; everyone will want to have been a fly on the wall in that discussion.
I'm a Novak fan. I would like to see him get another Grand Slam title and the fact that he brought Andy shows that he is still very hungry to do well. It feels like they threw it out a little bit last year, which is crazy.
He probably didn't play enough tennis last year, but sometimes we forget that these guys his age have a lot of other things to deal with. Novak is married, has two kids, I'm sure he wants to spend more time at home, but then he saw other people collecting his trophies and thought, well, let's really try it this year.
It says a lot that he played in Brisbane last week. Andy wasn't with him, but make no mistake, even though he was on vacation, he must have been watching every shot Novak played.
A lot of tennis fans have taken Novak the wrong way, but in recent years they've really started to appreciate him and now his battles with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, there's a story there and I think he's using it for a while. motivation.
Djokovic will be fresh in Australia and if he is fully prepared – and now with Andy in his corner – he will be a very, very dangerous tennis player.
There are a lot of comparisons with Sinner and Alcaraz with Djokovic, Nadal, Federer but, wait, we are a long way from that at the moment and Novak has a lot more to say about the game.
He will be fresh in Australia and if he is fully prepared (and now with Andy in his corner) he will be a very, very dangerous tennis player.
Would I ever get into training myself? I have thought about it. I would like to help British players. I think I have something to offer, I think I know a lot about the game, but I would have to be the right player at the right time.
Have you ever wondered how a tennis player spends the Christmas holidays? I left by plane on the 23rd and my girlfriend Aleah stayed at home. On Christmas Eve I took a short flight to Canberra to prepare for the Challenger event there, so on Christmas Day I just wandered around a very empty city alone. It's just the life of a tennis player – I haven't had a proper Christmas at home since Covid.