Novak Djokovic has officially confirmed that Andy Murray will continue as his coach “for the foreseeable future” following his exit in the opening round of the Qatar Open.
In his first singles encounter since withdrawing from the semi-finals of the Australian Open against Alexander Zverev, Djokovic lost to Italy’s Matteo Berrettini with a score of 7-6(4), 6-2.
This defeat marked Berrettini’s first victory over Djokovic in five meetings, having been bested by the 24-time Grand Slam champion in the 2021 Wimbledon final.
“I didn’t experience any pain or discomfort,” Djokovic stated. “I was simply outperformed by a superior player today.”
“Sure, I wasn’t at the level I aim for, and my movement might not have been what I wanted — but I played pain-free, so there’s no excuse for that.”
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“He was simply the more dominant player. Honestly, he executed a masterclass today, especially in his tactics and serve; it was a thoroughly deserved win for him.”
Berrettini will be up against Tallon Griekspoor in the next round of this ATP 500 event.
Prior to the match, Djokovic mentioned to the ATP Tour’s official media channel that Murray has accepted to extend his role as coach.
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Having formed their partnership before the Australian Open, Djokovic showcased promising performance until he was forced to retire due to a hamstring injury.
“I communicated my wish to keep working with him, and I’m truly pleased he agreed,” Djokovic expressed.
Djokovic sticks with Murray as his coach. Getty
“The collaboration timeframe is indefinite, but we have tentatively planned to reunite in the United States and for several clay-court tournaments,” Djokovic elaborated. “We’ll assess how things go after that.”
“It’s thrilling for the tennis community, as well as for us, to share such a different experience together on the same side of the net,” Djokovic added.
“He brings a special insight into my game—having played against me and faced many of the best players in the world as my opponents.”
The upcoming significant tournament for Djokovic and Murray will be the French Open, commencing on May 25.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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