Australian Open 2025: Novak Djokovic ‘grateful’ for coach Andy Murray after beating Carlos Alcaraz in Melbourne
The first is a heartfelt roar. Then a gentle hug.
Novak Djokovic gets emotional after winning title Australian Open quarter-final win over Carlos Alcaraz This makes a mockery of prediction, logic, and expectations.
Exuding joy and relief, Djokovic turned straight to his coach Andy Murray and buried his head in the Englishman’s chest.
The celebrations for the rivals-turned-colleagues come on the heels of the biggest success of Murray’s shock first coaching job.
Djokovic, 37, who was born a week after Murray in May 1987, said: “It’s a sign of appreciation and respect for him because he’s already there but he doesn’t need to be there.”
“He agreed to work with me. He gave me and the whole team all the support and tried to make it work.”
When 24-time major champion Djokovic announced in November that he had hired the recently retired Murray as his new coach, it felt like a prank.
But for both men, nothing is more important than winning tennis matches.
Murray, who often looked nervous during Djokovic’s match at Melbourne Park, seemed to be thinking about how to help the seventh seed win a record 25th Grand Slam title.
When the Serbian nearly passed the 21-year-old Alkaraz, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, as Djokovic beat Spain’s third-seeded Alcaraz with an injured left leg, he trudged over to hug his fist-pumping coach.
“It’s a big win for all of us – Andy and myself included,” Djokovic added.
“That’s why I went to him, because I was so grateful that he was there.”
