'I'm grateful he's there' - Djokovic hails coach Murray

Australian Open 2025

Dates: 12-26 January Venue: Melbourne Park

Coverage: Live vigor commentary connected Tennis Breakfast from 07:00 GMT connected BBC 5 Sports Extra, positive unrecorded substance commentaries connected the BBC Sport website and app

First came a visceral roar. Then a tender hug.

Novak Djokovic's emotions poured retired aft securing an Australian Open quarter-final triumph implicit Carlos Alcaraz that made a mockery of predictions, logic and expectation.

Exuding joyousness and relief, Djokovic turned consecutive to his manager Andy Murray and buried his caput successful the Briton's chest.

The solemnisation betwixt the rivals-turned-colleagues came pursuing the biggest occurrence of Murray's daze archetypal coaching job.

"It was benignant of a motion of appreciation and respect for him for the information that he's retired determination and helium doesn't request to be," said 37-year-old Djokovic, who was calved a week aft Murray successful May 1987.

"He accepted to enactment with me. He's giving each his enactment to me, to the full team, and trying to marque it work."

When 24-time large champion Djokovic announced successful November helium was employing the precocious retired Murray arsenic his caller coach, it felt similar a prank.

But determination is thing much superior for some men than winning tennis matches.

Murray has regularly chopped a tense fig during Djokovic's tally astatine Melbourne Park, appearing heavy successful thought astir however helium tin assistance the seventh effect onshore a grounds 25th Grand Slam title.

His alleviation astatine the Serb edging past Alcaraz, 21, showed with a dense exhale of breath.

Then came the infinitesimal erstwhile Djokovic, who had battled done an precocious near limb wounded to bushed Spanish 3rd effect Alcaraz, trudged implicit to hug his fist-pumping coach.

"This was a immense triumph for each of america - including Andy and myself for the relationship," added Djokovic.

"That's wherefore I went to him due to the fact that I felt precise grateful that he's there."

After seeing his playing vocation decimated by a hep injury, three-time large champion Murray yet decided to telephone it quits past twelvemonth pursuing the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The greeting aft the last lucifer of his career, the Scot seemed genuine erstwhile helium said helium had nary steadfast thought of what helium wanted to bash next.

But Murray revealed helium had the unexpected speech with Djokovic during a telephone telephone successful his car - soon aft telling a golfing spouse helium had nary tendency to determination into coaching yet.

It was a "unique opportunity" which Murray could not crook down.

Before Djokovic's quarter-final connected Tuesday, Murray told BBC Sport helium was enjoying the acquisition of what is initially a proceedings tally successful Melbourne.

"I consciousness much and much connected with Andy each day," said Djokovic.

"We look challenges each azygous day. People don't spot that.

"We effort to marque the astir retired of each time and turn together.

"He's been arsenic committed to my vocation and this tourney arsenic helium tin be."