Huge Australian Open rule change gives Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray’s new advantage
A significant change in tennis rules for 2025 has made Novak Djokovic’s hiring of Andy Murray a stroke of genius.
Players can now receive ‘brief and discreet instructions between points and during changeovers’ from their corner. And none of Djokovic’s rivals have a brainbox like Murray in their box.
Murray can’t be screaming advice from his seat, even if he is getting a mouthful of Serbian expletives in the opposite direction. But he’ll be relaying crucial information that will sway a tie in his team’s favour.
That is what this one-time individual sport is becoming now: a team game.
Djokovic’s only aim at the Australian Open is to win the title. He is clearly desperate to move ahead of the Grand Slam record he shares with Margaret Court.
Anything else will be deemed a failure. That is the elite mentality needed to compete at the very highest level.
