The Andy Murray-Novak Djokovic partnership has been described as “attempts to grasp at something that no longer exists” by a current player.
Alexander Bublik, the world No.33 from Kazakhstan, was critical on a wide range of topics, including the Murray-Djokovic coaching partnership, along with Rafael Nadal’s retirement, calling the 22-time grand slam champion “bald and old” in a bizarre interview with Russian outlet Match.tv.
Kazakhstan’s Alexander BublikCredit: PA
Murray, a three-time grand slam winner and two-time Olympic gold medallist, retired from professional tennis at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. But his time away from the sport was short-lived when Djokovic named his long-time rival as his new coach for the 2025 season.
The duo had 10 days training together before Djokovic headed to Australia for the Brisbane International, where he lost to big-hitting American Reilly Opelka in the quarter-finals. The pair will make their professional debut at the Australian Open next week.
Bublik criticised the decision for the two to link up in 2025.
“Now [Murray] has joined Novak Djokovic’s team,” Bublik said. “These are attempts to grasp at something that no longer exists, to some echoes of the past. I think this is a problem.”
Novak Djokovic during his loss to American Reilly Opelka.Credit: AP
The 27-year-old also took aim at Nadal, who retired in 2024 at the Davis Cup finals in Malaga. Nadal gave a speech and was given a special ceremony as he finished his career in front of a sold-out home crowd.
“It is clear that I am not Rafa, my legacy will be much smaller, if it can be called such,” Bublik said. “What happened to Andy Murray and Rafa was a circus.
“I can’t call it anything else. People have achieved everything, even we tennis players looked at them with our mouths open in the locker room – and then you see one of them bald and old.
“It is clear that he is no longer the same and will never be the same. In my opinion, this is even a shame, not a circus. Probably, it would be more correct to say so. Although Rafa still left normally.”
Rafael Nadal farewells fans at the Davis Cup finals. Credit: AP
Djokovic, who beat Murray on all five occasions the pair met at the Australian Open, is hunting his 11th title in Melbourne, and the 25th of his career, but this time with Murray in his corner.
Despite winning gold at the Olympics, Djokovic’s trophy cabinet remained mostly empty in 2024, and it was the first time since 2017 that the 37-year-old hadn’t won a grand slam title in a calendar year.
However, the veteran still remains a favourite to win the title, alongside Carlos Alcaraz and reigning champion Jannik Sinner.
But talking to the Herald Sun, Djokovic said he still feels a sense of anxiety returning to Australia after the COVID-19 deportation saga of 2022.
“I have to be quite frank,” Djokovic said in an interview with the Herald Sun. “The last couple of times I landed in Australia, to go through passport control and immigration – I had a bit of trauma from three years ago.
“And some traces still stay there when I’m passing passport control, just checking out if someone from immigration zone is approaching.
“The person checking my passport – are they going to take me, detain me again or let me go? I must admit I have that feeling.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticised the Coalition’s handling of the situation following Djokovic’s comments.
“I found it astonishing that in the lead-up to Christmas, Novak Djokovic was denied by the then-federal government the opportunity to see his Orthodox … priest,” Albanese said on Monday. “That was something that I think was hard to justify.”
