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MELBOURNE, Australia – It’s just of those scenarios that the best fiction writers couldn’t even have come up with.

Andy Murray, freshly retired, down in Australia as the coach of Novak Djokovic.

And on the other side of the court, a team of Brits – including a coach who’s even wearing his brand – and his successor at the top of the men’s game in Jack Draper.

And yet, this is tennis. These things don’t even make people bat an eyelid. Like Djokovic’s trainer and physio being relieved of their duties – and heading right over to join Team Jannik Sinner.

Murray doing “coachy” things

The interesting thing to watch when a former top player joins the coaching ranks is how they just ease right into doing those “coachy” things.

It’s unlikely most of them paid much attention to their coaches were doing all those years; more on what they were saying (sometimes).

Flashback: Djokovic’s 2008 AO

But there was Murray picking up balls in the middle of the court. And choking up on the grip (and using a continental) to do the “ball feed” from the baseline during warmups. And going over to the other coach to decide the timing of things. And spinning the racquet for serve.

All the while, of course, observing and dropping nuggets of wisdom.

Here’s what it looked like on Wednesday at Rod Laver Arena before a good group of fans (with a stark contrast between who sat in the blazing sun – yours truly guilty of that – and who smartly stayed in the shade.

No. 7 seed as he goes for No. 11

Djokovic, who left a lot of ranking points on the table at the end of 2024, is only the No. 7 seed in this year’s Australian Open, following the rankings and announced by the tournament on Wednesday.

That means that, assuming everyone gets through, he would face one of the top four seeds in the quarterfinals.