Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray join the list of No. 1s who collaborate as player-coach | ATP Tour

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Djokovic and Murray join the list of No. 1s who collaborate as player-coach

Federer-Edberg and Moyà-Nadal are among the protagonists

November 28, 2024

Last Saturday the news broke that Novak Djokovic included Andy Murray in his team as a new coach for the next season. Although it may seem unprecedented for two big names to come together in the coach-player relationship, it is not the first time that two No. 1s in the PIF ATP Rankings share the same side of the net.

While it is true that Djokovic. Murray established a historic Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry with 36 matches, there are many examples of players who became world No. 1 and who share their experience with others from the bench. ATPTour.com reviews some of those cases.

Jimmy Connors y Andy Roddick (2006-08)
Roddick won the ATP Masters 1000 in Cincinnati and reached the US Open final in 2006, after working with Connors. The collaboration between the Americans, which spanned a year and a half, saw Roddick rise to No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“Jimmy had been away from the circuit for 15 years,” Roddick recently recalled on his podcast. “But I knew that when I hit the first shot, in the first round at Arthur Ashe Stadium under the lights, he knew exactly what I felt when I went out there.”

Stefan Edberg and Roger Federer (2014-15)
Federer brought childhood idol Edberg to his team in the 2014 season, and the pair extended what was initially a one-year deal into a second season together. Federer won two titles at the ATP Masters 1000 in Cincinnati in that period and also the 2014 Rolex Shanghai Masters. In addition, he reached three Grand Slam finals: two at Wimbledon and a third at the 2015 US Open.

“It was a dream come true,” Federer acknowledged of the collaboration with Ebderg. “He taught me a lot and his influence on my game will remain. “He will always be part of my team.”

Edberg and Federer pose with Federer’s 2015 ATP Awards: the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award and Fan Favorite. Photo: Getty Images.

Boris Becker y Novak Djokovic (2014-16)
Becker coached Djokovic in six of the 24 Grand Slam titles that the Serbian has in his showcase, including his first trophy at Roland Garros 2016. After his triumph on French clay, Djokovic won all four Grand Slams. The Serbian also won 14 ATP Masters 1000 crowns in his time with Becker, including three doubles at Indian Wells-Miami.

“The objectives we set for ourselves when we started working together were more than met,” Djokovic said when he announced the end of the collaboration between the two. “I wanted to thank you for the cooperation, teamwork, dedication and commitment.”

Andre Agassi and Novak Djokovic (2017-18)
Agassi was part of Djokovic’s team for about a year from mid-2017, alongside Radek Stepanek. Although the collaboration was informal and without a contract, Djokovic benefited from the experience of a player who has also been at the top of the sport.

“He really wanted to help me, give me advice and share his experience with me, and that says enough about him as a person,” said the Serbian about Agassi. “He is someone I always admired as a player and person. The last eight, nine months with Andre were incredible. The amount of things I learned, not only about tennis but about life in general… for that I am very grateful.”

Agassi and Djokovic at Roland Garros 2017. Photo: AFP/Getty Images.

Carlos Moyà and Rafael Nadal (2017-2024)

Moyá and Nadal played eight times on the ATP Tour between 2003 and 2008, with a Lexus ATP Head2Head favorable to Nadal 6-2. The Spaniards met when Nadal was 11 years old. Nineteen years later, when Nadal was 30, Moyà became his coach.

Moyà helped Nadal increase his aggressive play and together they won eight Grand Slams, including five Roland Garros. Before Moyà’s incorporation, Nadal had not reached the quarterfinals of any major in 2015 and 2016.

“Now that everything is over, I have many memories of an incredible stage of my life, which can never be equaled,” Moyà said recently. “It’s something I will always carry with me. I am grateful to you for thinking of me to be part of your team on this adventure.”

Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Alcaraz (2018-Present)
Ferrero began working with his compatriot when Alcaraz was 15 years old in 2018. As Alcaraz has risen to the top of the ATP Tour, Ferrero has been with him every step of the way, from breaking into the Top 500 to concluding a season as No. 1 of the year (ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF) in 2022, or win his third and fourth Grand Slam in 2024.

“It’s hard. “He is a very serious person when he has to be, when it comes to work and discipline, he is very hard on you,” Alcaraz, 21, said about his coach. “But he’s also very, very funny, when he plays. He knows how to differentiate moments very well.”