Novak Djokovic's 'mentor' Nenad Zimonjic gives his verdict on Serb hiring Andy Murray as coach and whether the partnership has long-term potential
Novak Djokovic's mentor and close friend Nenad Zimonjic has shared his perspective on the Serb's decision to appoint Andy Murray as his new coach. Zimonjic expressed confidence in Djokovic's ability to make strategic choices and reflected on whether the partnership had lasting potential.
Djokovic recently made a bold career move by recruiting his longtime rival Murray as his new coach. During the off-season, the duo are set to collaborate to lead the Serb to his elusive 25th Grand Slam title at the 2025 Australian Open.
Zimonjic, who temporarily coached Djokovic after his split with Goran Ivanisevic earlier this year, commented on the new development in a recent interview with Ubitennis. Describing himself as the 24-time Grand Slam champion's "mentor," Zimonjic expressed confidence in his compatriot's astute decision-making skills.
"Novak is a very smart guy in making decisions and his career is proof of that. So whenever he needed something really special in terms of coach and help, he reached out. The results are proof of that and I would say that he knows the best," he said.
The former doubles World No. 1 acknowledged that coaching would be a new challenge for Murray but emphasized that the Brit could rely on the other members of Djokovic's coaching team to ease the transition.
"This is something new for Andy. All the experience that he had with the different coaches in the past and him being a player going through similar situations on his own, it can definitely help," he said.
"Andy is going to be one of the team members there, they’re all together. They have a lot of experience. The whole team together with Novak and to have Andy as an addition, I think, can work out well," he added.
Zimonjic also said that the chances of Murray becoming a permanent part of Djokovic's team would depend on how their partnership fared at the Melbourne Slam and the Brit's willingness to commit to the demanding travel schedule after being on tour for so many years.
"It’s exciting to see" - Novak Djokovic's mentor Nenad Zimonjic on the Serb's new partnership with Andy Murray
During the same interview, Nenad Zimonjic expressed his belief that Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray's familiarity with each other since their youth and the similarities in their playing styles would benefit the partnership.
"They know each other quite well and they’ve been playing against each other or together since they were kids. They have a similar style. Tactically, Andy was one of the best guys. So he can help him with a different view and different perspectives," Zimonjic said.
Zimonjic also extended his best wishes to the duo for their "exciting" partnership.
"I wish them good luck. I was a good friend with Andy and I practiced many times with him and even had the chance to play doubles with him in a couple of tournaments. It’s exciting to see and I’m looking forward to what’s to come," he added.
Meanwhile, Murray has discussed his commitment to getting Djokovic in the "best possible shape" for the 2025 Australian Open, saying he was looking forward to helping the 24-time Grand Slam champion achieve his goals.