Novak Djokovic is enjoying a strong week in Miami as he searches for a 41st career Masters 1000 title.
The Serb’s form had slowed down in recent months, as Djokovic lost his opening matches at the Qatar Open and Indian Wells.
Bouncing back in Miami, Djokovic beat Rinky Hijikata in the second round, ending his three-match losing streak.
Straight set wins over Camilo Ugo Carabelli and Lorenzo Musetti followed, as the 37-year-old advanced to his eighth Miami Open quarter-final.
Coach Andy Murray has been crucial this week, helping the 24-time Major champion navigate his way through the early rounds without too much trouble.
However, if one former ATP star had given him one key piece of advice, he may never have accepted the job.
Tim Henman would’ve told Andy Murray to ‘take his time’ before accepting coaching job
Speaking to the Tennis Channel ahead of Djokovic’s quarter-final clash with Sebastian Korda, former British number one Tim Henman revealed the piece of advice he would’ve given Murray last year.
“Look, I was playing golf with Andy [Murray] at the end of last year, and he was obsessing over that as he obsessed with his tennis, it looked like he was having a great time,” he said.
“Certainly, my advice would’ve been to take your time. You’ve been on the road so much, you’ve got four beautiful kids and a wife at home, just see what’s out there.
“Lo and behold, the next week he takes the job with [Novak] Djokovic.”
Henman did, however, understand the opportunity was tough to turn down, and explained just how beneficial their blockbuster partnership is to the sport.
“I think maybe that was too good an opportunity to refuse, and again, for the narrative around our sport, it’s great when we’ve got the champions on the court but we’ve still got past champions involved in the sport,” he said.
“I just had lunch with him half an hour ago, he’s really enjoying it, obviously Novak’s playing really well this week and it will be interesting to see how that relationship develops.
“Is it about the next three weeks, three months, or three years?
“Who knows.”
Djokovic and Murray have now worked together at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and Miami Open tournaments, boasting a solid 8-2 record across the three events.
| Match | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Miami Open – 4R | Lorenzo Musetti | Win | 6-2, 6-2 |
| Miami Open – 3R | Camilo Ugo Carabelli | Win | 6-1, 7-6 |
| Miami Open – 2R | Rinky Hijikata | Win | 6-0, 7-6 |
| Indian Wells – 2R | Botic van de Zandschulp | Loss | 2-6, 6-3, 1-6 |
| Australian Open – SF | Alexander Zverev | Loss | 6-7 (RET) |
| Australian Open – QF | Carlos Alcaraz | Win | 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 |
| Australian Open – 4R | Jiri Lehecka | Win | 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 |
| Australian Open – 3R | Tomas Machac | Win | 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 |
| Australian Open – 2R | Jaime Faria | Win | 6-1, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 |
| Australian Open – 1R | Nishesh Basavareddy | Win | 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 |
Their best win came at the Australian Open when Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz in four sets to advance to the semi-finals in Melbourne.
Novak Djokovic can extend his Masters 1000 record with win at the Miami Open
No player in tennis history has won more Masters 1000 titles than Djokovic, who has 40 victories to his name.
His two greatest rivals, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, sit directly below him on the all-time list, but won’t overtake him, having retired from the sport.
- Novak Djokovic – 40
- Rafael Nadal – 36
- Roger Federer – 28
- Andre Agassi – 17
- Andy Murray – 14
Djokovic’s lead over active members of the ATP Tour is significant, having won 33 more titles than world number two Alexander Zverev.
- Novak Djokovic (40)
- Alexander Zverev (7)
- Daniil Medvedev (6)
- Carlos Alcaraz (5)
- Jannik Sinner (4)
On form, Italy’s Jannik Sinner looks most likely to chase down the record should he continue to dominate the sport as he did in 2024.
Sinner won the Miami Open, Cincinnati Open, and Shanghai Masters titles last year, reaching the world number one ranking in part thanks to his performances at Masters 1000 tournaments.
The 23-year-old will return from his three-month suspension at the Italian Open in May, as he looks to win his fifth Masters 1000 title.
Djokovic will have opportunities to extend his advantage before then when he takes to the court in Monte-Carlo and Madrid, but he will first look to finish the job in Miami, where he’ll take on Korda for a place in the last four on Thursday, March 27.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
