Jessica Pegula, known for her substantial wealth in the tennis world, has speculated that Andy Murray may have taken on the role of Novak Djokovic’s coach out of sheer curiosity. Following his retirement in the summer of 2024, Murray surprised the tennis community by announcing his decision to coach the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
Their partnership began ahead of the Australian Open, where Djokovic reached the semi-finals before withdrawing due to an injury. However, just six months after joining forces, it was mutually agreed in May that their collaboration had come to an end.
During a podcast called “The Players Box” with Jennifer Brady, Desirae Krawczyk, and Madison Keys, Pegula, whose net worth nears £15 million and is poised to inherit a £5.5 billion fortune, suggested that Murray saw this coaching opportunity as a chance to gain insights into Djokovic’s mindset.
Pegula remarked, “I think he was so interested. I think he thought, ‘This is so strange, I’m so curious. Why do you want me to coach you but I’m also so interested in how your brain works and how you’re thinking out there’. And I definitely saw them out there.”
Keys also found the partnership intriguing, affirming Pegula’s view that Murray likely wanted to understand what makes Djokovic a formidable opponent.
Despite their split, both Murray and Djokovic have shared their perspectives on the coaching arrangement. Murray acknowledged that he took on the role due to the unique opportunity it presented, expressing his initial surprise at the offer but deciding to give it a try.
Djokovic reflected on the end of their partnership, emphasizing that they both agreed it was time to part ways after realizing they had reached their limit in terms of on-court performance.
The Serbian player said, “For him to join my team and for us to give a shot to this player-coach relationship was really an incredible thing for tennis and for both of us. I was very privileged and honored. But I still think that, you know, I have learned things on the court with him, I have enjoyed my conversations with him about tennis, because I still think that he’s one of the most brilliant tennis IQ guys out there.”