Andy Murray is returning to training, this time with one of Britain’s brightest tennis hopes. The former world number one will join Jack Draper’s team for the upcoming grass-court season, marking Murray’s first coaching role since ending his short-lived but high-profile stint with Novak Djokovic earlier this year.
The move comes at an important point in Draper’s career. The 24-year-old has struggled with an injury-riddled year that has included knee problems and a bone bruise on his arm, but is targeting a comeback at June’s HSBC Championship at Queen’s Club, a tournament Murray has famously won five times in his career.
Draper confirmed the development and at the same time thanked outgoing coach Jamie Delgado, who had worked with him since last October.
“I’m very grateful for everything Jamie Delgado has done for me over the last six months… He’s a world-class coach and a great person,” Draper said in a statement.
The British star then confirmed Murray’s addition to the grass swing set-up.
“In the meantime I will continue to be supported by an excellent team at LTA with the addition of Andy Murray supporting me throughout the grass court season.”
Despite a massive serve and natural feel at the net, the British left-hander has never made it past the second round at Wimbledon. Murray, meanwhile, remains arguably Britain’s best modern grass-court player and someone who is uniquely aware of the pressure that comes with expectations at the All England Club.
The partnership also feels like the kind of coaching project Murray hinted at when he left Djokovic’s camp. The former Wimbledon champion has previously admitted that helping to build the career of a younger player, similar to how Juan Carlos Ferrero guided Carlos Alcaraz, was much more appealing to him in the long term.
And Draper, when fit, remains one of the most exciting talents on the ATP Tour. The Briton was as high as world No. 4 last June and had already shown his ceiling with wins at the BNP Paribas Open and the US Open semi-finals before injury derailed his momentum.
WHEN WILL ANDY MURRAY JOIN DRAPER’S TEAM?
Murray is expected to officially join Draper’s coaching staff during the upcoming grass-court season, starting with the HSBC Championship at Queen’s Club in June.
The tournament starts on June 15 and is likely to act as Draper’s comeback event after nearly two months out with injury.
It also presents an ideal environment for Murray to begin working closely with the younger Brit given his outstanding results at Queen’s and deep understanding of grass court tennis.
The timing makes a lot of sense for Draper, too.
The British No. 1 has repeatedly spoken of the need to improve on grass after struggling at Wimbledon in recent years. Murray’s experience of handling both the tactical demands on the surface and the emotional pressure of being Britain’s best hope could become one of the most valuable parts of the partnership.
For Murray himself, the move is also much more in line with the type of coaching path he now wants.
Having originally planned to take a long break after retiring in August 2024, Murray quickly returned to the sport after Djokovic personally approached him with an offer to coach later that year.
But after experiencing life in one of tennis’s toughest coaching environments, Murray admitted he wanted a “proper project” before getting involved again.
Draper seems to be just that.
WHY DID MURRAY’S DJOKOVIC STINT END?
Murray’s six-month coaching partnership with Djokovic has been one of the most fascinating stories in tennis after the two former rivals suddenly joined forces.
And even though the collaboration brought moments of success, it also revealed how demanding full-time coaching can beespecially at the very top level of this sport.
Murray’s tactical contribution was widely praised during the stint. Djokovic reached the semi-finals of the 2025 Australian Open and famously defeated Alcaraz during the tournament, with Murray playing a major role in match preparation and strategic planning.
The former world number one is said to have spent long nights studying footage, analyzing opponents and constantly sending tactical adjustments to Djokovic during tournaments.
But Murray later admitted that certain technical aspects of coaching were more difficult for him.
In contrast to tactical discussions and reading the game, deep mechanical adjustments to a player’s technique proved less natural, which Djokovic often sought out during matches and practice blocks.
The results also never quite lived up to expectations.
The partnership ended without a title, and Djokovic’s hamstring injury during the Australian Open further complicated the momentum they had built at the start of the season.
Murray later described the experience as a valuable learning process, but also acknowledged how draining the constant travel and coaching demands had become after years of living on tour as a player.
The separation finally took place by mutual consent in May 2025.
But now Murray is returning to coaching and has a much clearer idea of what role he wants to play in tennis after retirement – and helping to guide the talented British player through the most important part of his career may prove more fulfilling than trying to survive the chaos of coaching Novak Djokovic full-time.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
12 May 2026 21:47 IST
