Andy Roddick made an enormous revelation concerning the Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray partnership because the 2003 US Open champion shares he was instructed that the newly retired Briton rejected a number of affords from “prime female and male” gamers earlier than accepting the Serb’s invitation to work with him.
After lacking the Paris Masters and ATP Finals, the file 24-time Grand Slam champion made all of the headlines on Saturday after asserting the previous two-time Wimbledon winner as his coach for the Australian Open.Â
To nobody’s shock, it drew main consideration and pleasure but additionally some logical questions. Whereas Murray not too long ago hinted that he could be open to teaching someday, nobody actually anticipated him to get into it this early. And particularly nobody anticipated to see the previous world No. 1 working with Djokovic.Â
However based on Roddick’s sources, the Briton was seemingly getting affords since mainly ending his profession in early August.
“I’ve heard that prime gamers, female and male, Andy Murray has mentioned no to many over these final 4 months,” the American former world No. 1 mentioned on the Served with Andy Roddick.
Tennis journalist Jon Wertheim, who was additionally on the podcast, mentioned that these near the previous three-time Grand Slam champion instructed the 37-year-old that he merely couldn’t cross on the supply to work with Djokovic.
“I am going to add just a little on that, however apparently, I’ve heard the identical factor. This isn’t the primary participant that has reached out to Andy, and Andy’s household unit mainly mentioned, ‘You’re going to remorse it if you happen to do not do that.’ It is also in Australia proper, this is not like, hey we’ll do that at Wimbledon, ‘I will be exterior anyway,’ I imply that is flying throughout oceans and time zones and I used to be instructed that folks very near Andy Murray have merely mentioned, ‘We all know you too properly, we all know you’ll remorse it if you happen to say no to this. Go forward and see the way it goes,'” Wertheim mentioned.
Roddick added: “And the opposite folks asking had been on the highest of the pile too. They had been excessive, excessive, high-ranked women and men.”
Djokovic and Murray’s statements
Firstly of the 2024 season, the Serb’s 33-match successful streak on the Australian Open got here to an finish following a four-set defeat semifinal to Jannik Sinner – for the primary time since 2018, he misplaced a match at Melbourne Park. In the remainder of the Grand Slam yr, the 37-year-old did not handle to win any Majors and it was the primary season since 2017 that it occurred.Â
When asserting his new position, Murray particularly famous that he was introduced in to assist Djokovic “obtain his objectives.”
“I’m going to be becoming a member of Novak’s group within the off season, serving to him to organize for the Australian Open. I’m actually excited for it and looking out ahead to spending time on the identical aspect of the web as Novak for a change, serving to him to attain his objectives,” Murray mentioned in a press release.
On the opposite aspect, Djokovic recounted their massive Australian Open battles – prior to now, the Serb beat the Briton in 4 finals at Melbourne Park.
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“I’m excited to have one in every of my biggest rivals on the identical aspect of the web as my coach. Trying ahead to the beginning of the season and competing in Australia alongside Andy, with whom I’ve shared many distinctive moments on Australian soil,” the file 10-time Australian Open champion mentioned.
Viktor Troicki hinted one thing massive was about to go downÂ
Simply a few days earlier than the Djokovic and Murray information dropped, former Serbian tennis star Troicki revealed that he met the 24-time Grand Slam champion and that he was set to rent “a giant identify.”
“I’m glad that Novak acknowledged that he’s at 100% beginning preparations for the brand new season. We noticed one another briefly, and I even heard that one thing was brewing with a brand new coach, with a giant identify. I do not know something about that. That is the gossip I heard yesterday, I did not hear from him,” the previous world No. 12 instructed Sport Klub.
In the identical interview, Troicki highlighted that Djokovic completed his important purpose for 2024 and backed him to return to a Slam-winning type subsequent yr.
“This yr, his important focus was on the Olympic Video games, and he confirmed that – when he actually needs one thing, he could make it occur, it was like that earlier than and in his profession,” he famous.
It is going to be fascinating to see if Murray can information Djokovic to his twenty fifth Grand Slam title of their Slam debut as a participant/coach duo.
