It was the partnership that shocked tennis.

Just months after Andy Murray brought to an end a playing career in which he was a long-time rival of Novak Djokovic, he was appointed as the Serb’s coach for the Australian Open.

But with Djokovic now knocked out in Melbourne – retiring with a leg injury while a set down to Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals – it remains to be seen whether that alliance continues.

Djokovic was non-committal after his defeat, saying both men would need to “cool off”.

“We both were disappointed with what just happened, so we didn’t talk about the future steps,” he told reporters.

“I’ll definitely have a chat with Andy and thank him for being here with me, give him my feedback, which is, of course, positive. I’ll see how he feels and we make the next step.”

Murray said: “Novak and I agreed we would speak after the tournament – and we will do that.”

Will Murray continue coaching Djokovic?

Murray cited spending more time with his family as something he was going to relish after quitting playing, saying: “I’m looking forward to being at home with them consistently and not having to explain to my children why I’m going away.

“They don’t care about tennis but they’re always asking when I’m coming home. Being at home with them, getting to do normal things. Dropping them off at school, picking them up. I love doing sport with them.”

A full-time role with Djokovic would eat into that but with the 24-time Grand Slam champion only playing a limited schedule, prioritising the big events, the job would perhaps not be as all-consuming for Murray as with other players.

Speaking when the partnership was initially announced, Sky Sports’ Jonathan Overend said: “Could Murray change the boundaries in terms of what we perceive as the correct player-coach relationship? Could he become more of a consultant working at distance?”

The benefits for Djokovic to retain Murray’s services are plentiful, including the fact that with the Scot so fresh into retirement he will have experience of playing most of Djokovic’s opponents.

Murray also knows what it takes to win Grand Slams and, crucially, how to beat Djokovic.

What has Murray brought to Djokovic’s game?

With the Murray-Djokovic partnership so new, it is hard to quantify exactly what impact the Brit has had, but a quick glance at the stats suggests Djokovic was more aggressive in Melbourne than he was in his four Grand Slam appearances in 2024.

The 37-year-old is hitting more aces per match on average. That, combined with his first serve percentage dipping slightly, hints at a more attacking mindset.

Djokovic also fashioned, and converted, more break points on average at the Australian Open.

It was notable in his four-set win over Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals that he was playing more lights-out tennis and serve and volleying more, although that may be attributed to a leg injury he sustained forcing him into a change of tactic.

What has Murray said about the experience?

Murray said: “It’s a steep learning curve for me. There’s a lot of things you know as a player that are different when you’re coaching.

“There’s a lot more that you need to help with in terms of communication around the team. You’re not just thinking about yourself like you are when you’re a player.

“I’ve certainly learned a lot but there’s a lot more still for me to learn, that’s for sure.

“I’m fully aware that the team that is with him has done an incredible job over many, many years to allow him to still be competing at this level at the age that he’s at.

“They’ve all been really, really helpful to me, really welcomed me into the team. It’s been great to be a part of.

“I got to witness some amazing tennis, and one of the best matches that I’ve seen live against Alcaraz.

“At times it feels a little bit embarrassing because of my relationship with Novak, how much people talk about that or when there’s a good result that it’s because I’ve helped him.”

If not Djokovic, then where next?

Speaking last November, Overend felt Murray would enjoy working with up-and-coming players, especially the Brits, if he were to continue with a coaching career.

Perhaps his fellow Scot Jacob Fearnley – whose meteoric rise included a run to the third round in Melbourne following wins over Nick Kyrgios and Arthur Cazaux – will give him a call?

Emma Raducanu is also on the lookout for a new coach after parting with Nick Cavaday due to the latter’s health issues.

There does not appear any lingering animosity from Murray to Raducanu after she pulled out of Wimbledon’s mixed doubles last year to focus on the singles, denying Murray a swansong at a venue where he won two Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal.

Raducanu said: “I sent him a long message, basically apologising if I caused any trouble as that’s definitely the last thing I want.

“He’s someone that I’ve grown up looking up to and I don’t want any bad blood or harsh feelings with him. He took it really well and responded saying he was disappointed but he understood.”

They were unable to join forces last summer, then, so how about now in a player-coach capacity? It may seem unlikely but so did Murray coaching Djokovic. Watch this space…

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