Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic split as tennis stars have say on coaching partnership call

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic have ended their coaching partnership, the duo have announced.

The two former world No 1s will no longer be working together after the Scot spent six months as Djokovic’s main coach, including this year’s Australian Open.

The 24-time Grand Slam champions reached the semi-finals in Melbourne back in January and also the final at the Masters 1000 Series event in Miami in March, but the pair have decided to go their separate ways ahead of the French Open later this month.

Andy Murray, right, and Novak Djokovic have ended their coaching partnership. | Getty Images

In a statement, Djokovic said: “Thank you, coach Andy, for all the hard work, fun & support over last six months on & off the court, really enjoyed deepening our friendship together”

Murray added: “Thanks to Novak for the unbelievable opportunity to work together and thanks to his team for all their hard work over the past six months. I wish Novak all the best for the rest of the season.”

Murray, 37, called time on his playing career last summer and immediately thrust himself into the coaching spotlight when it was announced that he would team up with Djokovic - one of his biggest rivals on the court.

No Murray-Djokovic at Wimbledon

While Djokovic - also 37 - has been battling fitness issues throughout this season, there had been hope that him Murray would work together during the grass-court season, including Wimbledon.

There has been no update as who Djokovic will work with next, nor whether Murray will look to continue his coaching career with another player.

Djokovic is due to play in Geneva next week, which is one of the warm-up events ahead of the French Open - an tournament he has won three times. However, the Serb has only played two clay matches this year, losing them both to Alejandro Tabilo in Monte Carlo and Matteo Arnaldi in Madrid.

How Murray-Djokovic came about

There was much excitement when Djokovic and Murray announced their partnership last year, with Murray revealing how it all came about.

"I was actually playing golf,” said Murray in an interview in January. “We'd actually been exchanging messages. Novak had messaged me just wanting to chat.

"I was on the 17th hole of the golf course and the guy I was playing with said to me, 'Do you know what's next'? I was like, 'No, not really'. He said 'Do you have any plans to do any coaching'? And I said, 'Honestly, I can't think of anything worse to do right now'.

"And then 30 minutes later I was in the car and I called Novak, and then we had a conversation and he asked if I would be interested in helping, which I obviously wasn't expecting.

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray at this year's Australian Open. | Getty Images

"I said to him, 'Look, I need to think about it and talk to my family'. So I spoke to them and, after a couple of days, I thought that it was a pretty unique opportunity and experience.

"My wife [Kim] was very supportive of it. I was actually going to be in Australia anyway for a few days during the tournament. She was surprised, obviously, that he'd asked me, but she was really supportive of it.

"Maybe if it was a younger player, where it was maybe long term, (you) might be looking at five, six years potentially. I'm not sure that that's necessarily the case with Novak - but you never know if he's doing well. But she was very supportive."