"It surprised me a bit immediately after retiring": Rafael Nadal was left shocked at Andy Murray - Novak Djokovic link-up

Andy Murray didn't take long post retirement to return to the sport with the Brit anchoring the coaching aspect of one of his greatest rivals Novak Djokovic for the latter half of his career. Something which shocked Rafael Nadal.

While there has not been much distinct success thus far for the Brit and the Serbian in their combo, it has been partly down to Djokovic's middling form over Murray who has been praised by his pupil for leaving no stone unturned.

Nadal in a lengthy interview with The Telegraph spoke about wanting a golf tournament with his former contemporaries admitted shock to seeing them together.

But more so the fact that Murray spurned any time off in order to return to tennis and that he was starting a project where he'd be traveling. Despite that though, he understands why he would do it and sees it as a good combination.

"It surprised me a bit that, immediately after retiring, Andy wanted to start a project again where he’d be travelling," Rafael Nadal told the Telegraph.

"But I understand that the project to be with Novak is an attractive one, and one he would be passionate about. Also, I understand for Novak to be with one of his rivals – one of his biggest rivals – as his coach must give him a motivation.

"So I think it’s a good combination. I obviously wish them all the best. I think, in the end, Andy is a real tennis enthusiast and to have this opportunity, he’s taken it."

Murray will rejoin Djokovic for the next few weeks after not doing so at Monte-Carlo. Djokovic joked that he couldn't find him and that he was on holiday. His brother Stefan coached him instead and he lost again to Alejandro Tabilo like last year in Rome.