Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray recently crossed paths during Rafael Nadal’s emotional farewell ceremony on Sunday evening—an encounter that could’ve felt tense given their recently concluded coaching experiment. The meeting, however, turned out to be anything but awkward, thanks to Murray’s trademark humor.
“Andy congratulated me and said, ‘Now that you’ve got a real coach, you’re winning titles,’” Djokovic recounted with a smile. The comment came after Djokovic clinched his 100th career title in Geneva, with Serbia’s Davis Cup captain Dusan Vemic now in his corner for both Geneva and the French Open.
“Of course, he was joking,” Djokovic added. “But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—Andy is an incredible person. Working with him as a coach was a special experience for both of us and, honestly, a great moment for tennis. Even though we didn’t achieve the results many expected, I truly enjoyed the collaboration.”
The occasion that brought the tennis legends together again was Nadal’s send-off on Court Philippe Chatrier, where Djokovic, Murray, and Roger Federer joined the 22-time Slam champion. It prompted Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam winner himself, to reflect on his own eventual exit from the sport.
“Watching Rafa give his speech really got me thinking about my own farewell,” he admitted. “Especially when it was just me, Roger, and Andy backstage, sharing stories, remembering our rivalries, and talking about their farewells—it was a powerful moment.”
Djokovic continued, “Part of me feels proud to still be competing while those guys have stepped away. But there’s also a sadness, because they pushed me to be better—they were my biggest motivation.”
He praised Nadal’s farewell as richly deserved: “Rafa received the tribute he earned, in all its glory. We all hope to be remembered and celebrated like that one day. And yes, I do hope for a similar goodbye when the time comes—but no, I haven’t set a date!”
Djokovic enters the French Open with renewed confidence following a title win in Geneva. This came after early exits in Monte Carlo and Madrid, raising concerns about his form.
“I needed those wins—especially on clay,” he said. “I’m the kind of player who needs match play to feel sharp before a big event. Geneva was a great opportunity to find my rhythm and also reach the milestone of 100 titles. And with Casper Ruud not playing this year—he’s dominated there recently—I joked with him and said, ‘Thanks for skipping it and letting me win this time.’”
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