Andy Murray’s addition to Novak Djokovic’s coaching staff has been a hot topic in the tennis world over the last few weeks. While some critics are skeptical, Rick Macci believes the partnership will be successful if it improves Djokovic’s game by “even 5%.”
Serena Williams’ former coach has been a strong supporter of the Djokovic-Murray partnership since it was announced. Macci explained the criteria by which this collaboration could be deemed successful in a post on X.
“Was asked how much of a difference Andy Murray will make with the Joker. If he helps even 5% in any area that is the difference in winning and losing a Grand Slam and that is the only Item on the Serbian Snipers menu,” Macci wrote.
Murray could be extremely beneficial to the Serb in a few areas of his game. The Brit could help Djokovic improve his defensive skills and provide valuable insights into dealing with aggressive baseliners like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
The 70-year-old tennis coach has made a compelling argument. Djokovic has already established himself as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. If Murray can help the Serbian superstar sharpen any aspect of his game, even slightly, it could be enough to secure more trophies.
Macci has always been a strong admirer of Djokovic, so his consistent praise for the 24-time Grand Slam champion on social media and podcasts is not surprising.
Macci regards Djokovic as the GOAT
Rick Macci gave his two cents on the long-standing GOAT debate earlier in June during an exclusive interview with “The SportsRush”. He spoke about the “Big Three” era and claimed that Nole has attributes common to Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
“(Novak Djokovic is a) little bit of both of Federer and Nadal,” he said.
He explicitly stated that he ranked the Belgrade native higher than any other player in history.
“To be consistent at 37 and with the numbers, he is the GOAT. He is still playing now.”
Macci hopes that Djoko can bounce back from a subpar 2024 season and prove his critics wrong with stronger performances in 2025. With the Australian Open just a month away, fans will be able to catch the Djokovic-Murray collaboration, possibly for the first time in that Grand Slam.
