Djokovic and Murray join the No. 1 roster to form a player-coach relationship ATP Tour

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Djokovic and Murray join the list of No. 1s to form a player-coach relationship

Federer-Edberg, Moya-Nadal among other No. 1 pairs

November 28, 2024

The news that Novak Djokovic will bring Andy Murray as his new coach shook the tennis world on Saturday. While it may seem unprecedented for two of the game's greats to meet in a player-coach relationship, this isn't the first time two former No. 1s have met. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings meet on one side of the net.

While Djokovic and Murray's extended Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry – which spanned 36 matches – is unique among player-coach pairs, there are many examples of successful pairings for the World No. 1s in recent history. ATPtour.com takes a look back at some of those partnerships.

Jimmy Connors and Andy Roddick (2006-08)
Roddick won the Cincinnati ATP Masters 1000 and reached the final of the 2006 US Open shortly after hiring Connors in 2006. The all-American partnership, which lasted a year and a half, saw Roddick climb to No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

“Jimmy hasn't been on Tour in 15 years,” Roddick said recently on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast. “But I knew when I left the first round, Arthur Ashe Stadium, under the lights, the US Open, he knew exactly how I felt when I walked out there.”

Stefan Edberg and Roger Federer (2014-15)
Federer brought his childhood idol Edberg to his team in the 2014 season, and both agreed to an extension that was originally planned for a second season in 2015. 2014 Rolex Shanghai Masters crown. He also reached three major finals, two at Wimbledon and third at the 2015 US Open.

“It was a dream come true,” said Federer closing his relationship with Edberg. “He taught me a lot, and his influence on my game will continue. He will always be part of my team.”

Edberg and Federer pose for Federer's 2015 ATP awards: the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship award and the fan favorite singles award. Photo by Getty Images.

Boris Becker and Novak Djokovic (2014-16)
Becker coached Djokovic to his record 24 Grand Slam titles, including his first Roland Garros title in 2016, during a successful three-season run. After his victory on the clay court, Djokovic held all four Slam titles simultaneously. The Serbian also won 14 ATP Masters 1000 titles during his time with Becker, including three-peats at Indian Wells and Miami.

“The goals we set for ourselves when we first started working together have been fully realized,” Djokovic said in the announcement that the two had decided to end their partnership. “I want to thank him for cooperation, collaboration, dedication and commitment.”

Andre Agassi and Novak Djokovic (2017-18)
Agassi has been part of Djokovic's team for a year since mid-2017, alongside Radek Stepanek. Although their partnership was informal and without a contract, Djokovic benefited from the experience of a player at the top of the game.

“He really wanted to help and give me advice and share his knowledge with me, and that speaks volumes about him as a person,” the Serbian said of Agassi. “He's someone I've always admired as a player and as a person. The last eight, nine months with Andre were amazing. The amount of things I've learned, not just about tennis but about life in general … I'm so grateful.”

Agassi and Djokovic at Roland Garros in 2017. Photo via AFP/Getty Images.

Carlos Moya and Rafael Nadal (2017-2024)
Moya and Nadal also split eight times on the ATP Tour from 2003-08, with Nadal going 6-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The Spaniards met when Nadal was 11 years old. Nineteen years later, when Nadal was 30, he brought in Moya as a coach.

Moya helped Nadal increase the intensity of his game, and together they won eight Grand Slam titles, including five at Roland Garros. Before the introduction of Moya, Nadal did not advance to the quarter-finals of any major in 2015 and 2016.

“Now that everything is over, I have many memories of an amazing period of my life that will never be matched,” said Moya recently. “It's something I'll always carry with me. I'm thankful that he thought I could be part of his team in this game.”

Juan Carlos Ferrero and Carlos Alcaraz (2018-Present)
Ferrero started working with his Spanish teammate when Alcaraz turned 15 in 2018. As Alcaraz rose to the top of the ATP Tour, Ferrero was with him every step of the way – from his breakthrough into the Top 500, to his ATP year. -End no. 1 presented by the PIF honors in 2022, for his third and fourth Grand Slam titles in 2024.

“He's tough. He's a very determined person when he has to be, when it comes to work and discipline, he's very hard on you,” Alcaraz, now 21, said of his longtime coach. “But he's also very funny when he has to be. He can separate the moments very well.”