Novak Djokovic said his decision to appoint former rival Andy Murray as his coach was “a surprise to everyone” but “exciting for the world of tennis”.
Three-time British Grand Slam champion Murray, who retired from tennis in August, will work with Djokovic in the off-season. and ahead of the Australian Open.
Men’s 24-time major winner Djokovic, speaking to Sky Sports, admitted his phone call caught Murray “a little bit off guard”.
But the 37-year-old Serb said the pair “connected very quickly” and it took Murray just days to agree to the role, less than four months after ending his career at the Paris Olympics.
Djokovic, who equaled Margaret Court for the most singles titles won by any player, said: “I took about six months to think about what I need at this stage of my career.
“I realized the perfect coach would be someone who had been through the experiences I went through, perhaps a multiple Grand Slam winner and world number one.
“We were discussing Andy Murray and I said I’d give him a call and see how it went. This put him on his guard a bit. We connected very quickly and he accepted after a few days.
“I’m very excited about this. This collaboration was a surprise for everyone, including me, but it’s exciting for tennis.”
