"What a smart move": Two-time French Open runner-up lauds Novak Djokovic's decision to hire Andy Murray as new coach

Two-time French Open runner-up Alex Corretja believes that Novak Djokovic has played a masterstroke by hiring former world number one Andy Murray as his new coach. The 38-year-old, who is regarded as the greatest player in the history of men’s tennis in the Open era, having won as many as 24 Grand Slam titles, has recently hired the three-time Grand Slam winner as his new coach.

The decision was a surprising one, considering that Murray retired just a few months back, participating in the Paris Olympics doubles category with Dan Evans. The pair eventually suffered a defeat in the quarterfinals. Djokovic recently parted ways with his former coach Goran Ivanisevic after spending six years together. The decision came after the Belgrade-born star failed to win a single Grand Slam in 2024.

It was the first time in seven years that Djokovic finished a full season without winning a single major slam. Two-time French Open runner-up Corretja has recently spoken to Eurosport where he talked in detail about the implications of the former world number one hiring Murray as his new trainer. The 50-year-old admitted that at first he was ‘shock’ to learn that Djokovic has decided to hire the former world number one as his new coach but believes that it might prove to be a masterstroke.

“I was totally in shock,” he said. “I have to agree for, let's say, 10 seconds, 15 seconds and right away I thought, ‘what a smart move from Novak and from Andy, at the same time'. I felt like Novak needs big and huge motivations, and he wants to bring someone special, someone that understands the game very well, which he's been playing for the last 15-20 years on Tour, and he just retired. He might help him to try things that maybe he's shown in Andy that he didn't have those skills, and he's thinking about him. On the other hand, I felt like for Andy, it is a great opportunity. He knows the game very well. He knows the players, he knows the tactics extremely perfectly in his mind. He knows what it is to be there, he knows what it is to be there a little bit older, feeling like the young guys pushing him, the way he needs to react, to defend and what he can do to hurt them. So I think he could ... maybe bring something to surprise the opponents.”