Andy Murray has been tipped to return to tennis and coach in the UK, just days after he announced his split with Novak Djokovic. The Brit spent six months alongside his former rival, but they are going their separate ways before the French Open and Wimbledon.
Working with Djokovic represented Murray’s first job since retiring from tennis. Their surprise partnership sent shockwaves through the sport when it was first announced and many will be wondering what Murray does next. It remains to be seen if the two-time Wimbledon champion wants to continue down the coaching path, or if he saw working with Djokovic as an opportunity he could not turn down in the twilight of the Serb’s career.
Andy Roddick, 2003 US Open champion, is of the opinion that Murray will not become another player’s main coach immediately after leaving Djokovic’s team.
He told the Tennis Channel: “I don’t think it’s going to happen any time soon, I think this is an exceptional circumstance with someone he probably wanted to learn from.”
The American former world No. 1 did, however, think that Murray could land a new job coaching at the LTA.
“They have a friendship before,” Roddick added regarding Murray and Djokovic. “I don’t think this is going to be something we see from Murray, at least on the travelling side, and maybe we see him work with people in London.
“I think his brain always wants to work in the tennis space. But I would be shocked if he went on the road with someone else any time soon.”
Being based in the UK would ensure that Murray could spend more time with his family, a key reason he cited for retiring from playing and reiterated before taking a travelling gig with Djokovic.
“I want to spend time with my family and see my kids growing up as that’s something you miss when you are on the road and the last few years when you have been away for three or four weeks at a time I have found that difficult,” Murray told Eurosport in September.
“But with all the British players when I’m at home I will try to help, whenever I can if any of them wanted to I would try my best to make that happen. It is a big commitment to coach if you want to do it properly and I want to ensure I do it properly.”
Murray could end up working with the likes of Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu while at the LTA’s London base, even though he would not be officially recognised as their coach on tour.