Born just a week apart in May 1987, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic have battled each other on the tennis court since before they were teenagers.

Now they will be working together.

Djokovic announced on social media on Saturday (23 November) that Murray, who retired after the Paris 2024 Games where the Serbian finally won Olympic gold, would coach him ahead of January’s Australian Open.

The 37-year-old is the only remaining member of the ‘Big Four’ after Rafael Nadal retired this week and Roger Federer hung up his racket in 2022. He has 24 Grand Slam singles titles, but this year is the first since 2017 that he has failed to increase his tally.

After splitting with Goran Ivanisevic in March, Djokovic has turned to three-time Slam winner and double Olympic champion Murray in his bid for Slam title number 25. He defeated the Scotsman in four Australian Open finals out of his record total of 10 Melbourne triumphs.

“We played each other since we were boys. Twenty-five years of being rivals, of pushing each other beyond our limits,” said Djokovic. “We had some of the most epic battles in our sport. They called us game changers, risk takers, history makers.

“I thought our story may be over. It turns out, it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome on board coach Andy Murray.”

“I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the off-season, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open,” said Murray in a statement. “I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.”

The pair met each other 36 times in the professional ranks with Djokovic victorious on 25 occasions. One of Murray’s 11 wins was in the 2013 Wimbledon final when he became the first British men’s singles champion since Fred Perry in 1936.