'Imagine Lionel Messi coaching Cristiano Ronaldo' – Daniil Medvedev on shock Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic link-up
Published 10/01/2025 at 09:58 GMT
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As the tennis world prepares for the first Grand Slam of 2025, all eyes are on one of the highest-profile coaching moves in recent history, with Novak Djokovic being coached by Andy Murray at the Australian Open. Fans and players alike are eager to see how it works, and for Daniil Medvedev it can be compared to if Lionel Messi ended up coaching Cristiano Ronaldo.
'A great partnership' - Medvedev compares Djokovic-Murray link up to Messi and Ronaldo
Video credit: TNT Sports
Can you ever imagine Lionel Messi coaching Cristiano Ronaldo, or vice versa?
According to Daniil Medvedev, that’s the situation the tennis world finds itself in with Andy Murray coaching Novak Djokovic.
Murray’s move into coaching so soon after his retirement after the Paris Olympic Games was surprising enough - but that he became part of Team Djokovic caught the tennis world completely off guard.
Footage and pictures have already emerged of the duo in action and spectators are eagerly anticipating the first time the Scot takes his place in Djokovic’s box.
Speaking on the eve of the 2025 Australian Open - live on discovery+ - Medvedev compared it to if Messi or Ronaldo coached each other.
However, he did stress that he felt that it would be a good move for the pair and for tennis at large.
Medvedev said: "The impact on Novak, tough to say because the thing about coaching Novak is that he's so strong that imagine he wins, we're like, is it because of Andy [Murray] or is it because it's Novak? So we never know.
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"But it's a great partnership I think in terms of everything, in terms of even like energy, media-wise, tennis-wise, growing tennis, it's great.
"It's like, imagine Messi would become the coach of Cristiano Ronaldo... it would be strange."
Tennis is no stranger to player on player coaching, the Laver Cup having famously seen the likes of Murray, Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all coaching each other.
And Murray has spoken about what he is expecting from working with Djokovic, saying that he will be more than happy to be a sounding board for the Serbian superstar.
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Murray jokes about 'sabotaging' Djokovic AO chances as new coach
Video credit: TNT Sports
"Of course I've thought about it," Murray told a group of reporters at Melbourne Park.
"I would think that I'd be one of the people that would maybe, hopefully, understand that side of things. I know it's not easy out there, and it's stressful, and at times he's going to want to vent towards his team and his box.
"Providing that he's giving his best effort and trying as hard as he can, I'm absolutely fine with him expressing himself how he wants."
Medvedev was also asked about the dynamics within the locker room following Nick Kyrgios’ comments on Jannik Sinner upon his return to tennis.
Medvedev played down any suggestions of a rift - or as he put it, "beef" - and stressed that he hadn’t really noticed a change in the short time he had been in Melbourne.
"It's tough for me to say, I've been here one and a half days and everyone that sees me in the locker room for the moment is congratulating me [on the birth of his second child]," the Russian added.
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Djokovic fine tunes game ahead of Australian Open tilt as coach Murray looks on
Video credit: SNTV
"So I have a lot of harmony in the locker room and I didn't see Nick [Kyrgios] yet. It would be interesting to see if they pass with Jannik how it is. What is the energy?
"But if not, I think it depends again, 'there are] players you talk to more, players you talk to less, people you smile with and laugh, and maybe ones you just say hi.
"So in general, I don't think... the beef, or like arguing between two, three, four players is going to change the whole locker room."
Medvedev will begin his Australian Open campaign by facing off against Kasidit Samrej of Thailand in the first round.
Watch and stream the 2025 Australian Open live on Eurosport and discovery+
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