24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has made a big change to his coaching team ahead of the 2025 season.
After suffering a rare trophyless season on the ATP Tour, Djokovic made a big move ahead of the new year that shocked the tennis world.
Djokovic is set to be joined by Andy Murray for the Australian Open and beyond, as the Brit joins his coaching setup.
The pair enjoyed a thrilling rivalry in tennis, as Djokovic won the head-to-head 25-11, beating Murray in five Grand Slam finals.
Murray did enjoy some success of his own, however, taking down Djokovic in both the 2012 US Open, and 2013 Wimbledon finals.
With the pair now set to join forces ahead of the 2025 season, one ATP star has revealed whether he tried to bring Murray into his coaching team before Djokovic secured his services.
Holger Rune reveals whether he asked Andy Murray to be his coach
Speaking ahead of the UTS Finals in London, former world number four Holger Rune gave his thoughts on the news of Murray and Djokovic teaming up.
“That was very surprising,” he said.
“First I was super surprised seeing it but Novak [Djokovic] didn’t have a trainer so he needed one.
“I didn’t expect him to call Andy [Murray] but I think it’s interesting.
“Andy is a very intelligent player, so I think he has a lot of great strategies they can communicate with each other.
“I think it’s going to be good, I am happy for those two.
“They have been big competitors against each other, so I think they are very close also.”
Rune was then asked if he had tried to convince the Brit to join his coaching team before Djokovic made the move.
“No,” he answered.
“I have been in the mix to sign a lot of coaches but no.
“It’s come to a stage where I am just going to keep it simple now and go back to keep on improving and doing what I am used to to try and achieve my goals.”
What happened to Holger Rune on the ATP Tour in 2024?
After reaching a career-high ranking of fourth in the world back in 2023, Rune finished this season outside of the world’s top ten, as he struggled for form at times.
Looking back Rune has admitted that he didn’t deserve to reach world number four, but the Dane will no doubt be looking to return to the top of the ATP rankings as soon as possible.
It was certainly a down year for the 21-year-old, but Rune did reach the Paris Masters semi-finals, as he finished the year on a high.
| Year | Year-end ranking | Best Grand Slam result | Best Masters 1000 result | ATP titles |
| 2024 | 13 | 4R – French Open, Wimbledon | SF – Cincinnati, Paris | 0 |
| 2023 | 8 | QF – French Open, Wimbledon | F – Monte-Carlo, Rome | 1 |
| 2022 | 11 | QF – French Open | W – Paris | 3 |
| 2021 | 103 | 1R – US Open | 1R – Indian Wells, Miami | 0 |
Losing before the quarter-final stage of each of the four Grand Slams will be a big disappointment however, after Rune had become familiar with the last eight in recent times.
It was a step-back in performance at the Masters 1000 events as well, with Rune falling further from the form he showed in Paris two years ago.
Rune burst onto the scene in Bercy, back in 2022, as he remarkably took down five top-ten players in one week en route to the title.
Hubert Hurkacz, Andrey Rublev, Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Djokovic all fell to the sword of the Dane, as he won the Paris Masters on his first ever appearance at the event.
He’ll no doubt be looking to rediscover that form as he heads into the new year on the ATP Tour.
Rune is set to return to action at the Brisbane International which begins on December 30, where he was runner-up in 2024.
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