Djokovic said that he hired Murray as his coach because he knows him very well

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Former tennis player Gabriela Sabatini, center, poses with Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro, right, and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic prior to an exhibition tennis match in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

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Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts during an exhibition tennis match against Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

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Former tennis players Juan Martin Del Potro returns the ball alongside Gabriela Sabatini during an exhibition doubles tennis match against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Gisela Dulko in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

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Former tennis player Gabriela Sabatini and Juan Martin Del Potro high-five during an exhibition doubles tennis match against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and Gisela Dulko in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

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Serbia’s Novak Djokovic gestures to the crowd during an exhibition tennis match against Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

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Serbia’s Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro during an exhibition tennis match in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello)

By Associated Press

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Hiring Andy Murray as his coach came naturally for Novak Djokovic. On a trip to Argentina to play in a farewell match for Juan Martín del Potro, the Serbian explained why he chose his former rival after being without a coach for six months.

Murray and Djokovic announced last week they plan to work together for the Australian Open in January.

“Since I was very young, I have played against him… and there are not many people who have won multiple Grand Slam titles,” said Djokovic in Spanish in a press conference before the match against Del Potro.

Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other player in tennis history. Murray won three major trophies and two Olympic singles gold medals and finished 2016 atop the ATP rankings. He ended his playing career after the Paris Olympics in August.

Both men are 37 and were born a week apart in May 1987. They started facing each other as juniors and wound up meeting 36 times as professionals, with Djokovic holding a 25-11 advantage.

“He knows my game and everything that I have been through very well,” added Djokovic, currently No. 7 in the ATP rankings. “He knows the things that are wrong with my game, all of my mistakes.”

Not PARSE.LY: Andy Murray

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Andy Murray goes from Centre Court to the stage for a 4-stop tour to talk about his tennis career

Djokovic has been without a full-time coach since splitting in March from Goran Ivanisevic.

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Del Potro, who won the US Open in 2009, won the exhibition match played in Parque Roca, Buenos Aires, 6-4, 7-5.

“We played against each other in the biggest stages of our sport, but in the end our friendship was bigger than the rivalry,” added Djokovic. “We are here to celebrate Juan Martin’s career and to enjoy every moment.”

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Olympic Hightlights

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FILE - South Africa’s Jacques Freitag competes in the men’s high jump of the 2004 Olympic Games, in the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Friday Aug. 20, 2004. Local media is reporting that South African police have discovered the body of former high jump world champion Jacques Freitag after he went missing last month. The reports said the 42-year-old, who won the 2003 world title in Paris and competed at the 2004 Olympics, had been shot. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

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FILE - Ilona Maher of USA is tackled by Sharni Williams of Australia in a semifinal of the Rugby World Cup 7’s championship held in Cape Town, South Africa, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. The main task for Maher, the breakout social media star on TikTok at the Tokyo Olympics, is winning a medal in Paris. (AP Photo/Halden Krog, File)

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FILE - Jacques Freitag of South Africa waves his national flag after he won the Men’s high jump event at the World Athletics Championships, at the Stade de France in Saint Denis, north of Paris, Monday, Aug. 25, 2003. Local media is reporting that South African police have discovered the body of former high jump world champion Jacques Freitag after he went missing last month. The reports said the 42-year-old, who won the 2003 world title in Paris and competed at the 2004 Olympics, had been shot. (AP Photo/Thomas Kienzle, File)

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Sammy Sullivan of USA in action during HSBC rugby sevens series in Singapore, on May 4, 2024. The anthem played as Army officer Sammy Sullivan stood to attention and saluted beside her U.S. rugby teammates before a gold-medal game in Hong Kong against Olympic champion New Zealand. No prizes for guessing where her mind may have drifted to: Paris in July. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

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USA Water Polo Women’s Senior National Team attacker Ryann Neushul, left, trains at Long Beach City College Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Long Beach, Calif. Following in the footsteps of two older sisters who won gold with the U.S. women’s water polo team, Ryann Neushul is making her Olympic debut in Paris this summer. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

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Iranian wrestler Iman Mahdavi, 28, practices at the Lotta Club Seggiano gym, in Pioltello , northern Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

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FILE - Steven van de Velde of the Netherlands competes during the CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup Vienna 2022 men’s semifinal game against Austria at the Red Bull Beach Arena in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2022. Van de Velde, convicted and imprisoned eight years ago for raping an underage girl in England has qualified for the Paris Olympics. (AP Photo/Florian Schroetter, File)