Benneteau believes Novak Djokovic despatched a sign to his rivals

Novak Djokovic can have a legend as his coach on the subsequent Australian Open. The previous world No. 1 determined to rent Andy Murray to assist him win the twenty fifth Main title of his legendary profession, the eleventh in Melbourne.

This selection has left each followers and insiders speechless, contemplating that the previous Scottish champion has just lately retired and has no expertise as a coach. Nonetheless, Andy is aware of Nole very properly, having grown up collectively and having shared their total careers as rivals in each event on the planet.

The 37-year-old from Belgrade has simply skilled a reasonably troublesome season, by which some indicators of decline have emerged after a few years on the prime of the lads’s tour. Novak didn’t win a single title in 2024 and solely the gold medal on the Paris Olympics saved a yr that will in any other case have been outlined as a failure.

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic© Andy Murray/Instagram – Honest Use

Regardless of lacking the final two official occasions of the season – the Rolex Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin – the previous world No. 1 has assured that tennis remains to be his precedence and this shocking selection reveals that he nonetheless desires to be aggressive on the highest degree.

It’s not simple to foretell what Murray can deliver to the sport of a legend like Djokovic, however it will likely be fascinating to know how the connection between two of the best champions of the trendy period will evolve.

Benneteau on Nole’s resolution 

At this stage of his profession, Novak must be extra aggressive and get extra fast factors in opposition to opponents a lot youthful than him. His principal aim is to defeat Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who’ve taken management of the tour presently. The 37-year-old from Belgrade has misplaced many instances to the Italian and the Spaniard within the final twelve months, which is why he has to work on his sport once more at nearly 38 years outdated.

Novak Djokovic, Roland Garros 2024© Stream screenshot

Throughout an interview with ‘RMC Sports’, former French ace Julien Benneteau opened up on Nole’s resolution to rent Murray as his new coach: “It’s not because you were a great player that you are a good coach and that guarantees success as a coach.

“Andy Murray will have the role of coach, not trainer, he will not teach him how to hit a forehand or a backhand.

I think Djokovic has a real motivation to be at 25 Grand Slams won, to be the only one to have done it and he will do everything for it.

And the fact that Murray joins him in his team, it is a signal that he sends to the others and also to himself in order to have another voice, another vision on the game of Alcaraz and Sinner to be able to beat them in five sets.

We must not forget Alexander Zverev who finished the year with a bang. And I think that it is in this perspective that he calls on Andy Murray.”

A stunning selection

Regardless of being nice rivals for a few years and enjoying a number of Grand Slam finals in opposition to one another, Andy and Novak have at all times had an amazing relationship each on and off the courtroom. The Scotsman and the Serbian grew up collectively, shared many widespread experiences and proved that you would be able to be pals regardless of the rivalry.

The three-time world champion is aware of tennis very properly, he was an amazing strategist as a participant and can assist Nole particularly from a tactical viewpoint. His function needs to be just like that of Gilles Simon in Daniil Medvedev’s workforce. The previous French participant began working with the Russian ace earlier this yr and helped him enhance his technique in opposition to sure opponents.

On his YouTube channel, prime analyst Gill Gross analyzed Murray’s potential influence on Djokovic in 2025: “He’s played these guys and that certainly helps that he’s experienced a lot of Novak Djokovic’s 2025 opponents Andy Murray will have played and in some cases will have played recently and therefore will have gone about the process of getting ready to play them and creating a game plan for them.

It’s not going to be copy and paste obviously to Novak because Djokovic is a different player but just to have already put his mind through those paces will have given him a head start so I believe that’s a that’s a really interesting angle here where Murray being so fresh off the tour is going to give him a bit of a leg up.

I think for Djokovic specifically, and this is really important, his next coach needed to fit in a specific box there needed to be a specific existing relationship already there.”