The tennis world was taken by surprise when Novak Djokovic announced that Andy Murray had joined his team as his new coach for the 2025 season. However, the decision appears to be paying off, particularly in one crucial area of Djokovic’s game—his serve.
As he aims for his 100th career title, Djokovic is also pursuing a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam trophy, which could mark the pinnacle of his illustrious career if this turns out to be his final year on tour. The presence of Murray in his coaching team has seemingly reignited his motivation and may have influenced an improvement in his serving statistics.
After years of fierce rivalry at the highest level, Djokovic and Murray are now working together, and one statistic stands out when comparing this season to previous ones. His first serve percentage for 2025 has reached an impressive 69%, which is a notable increase from the numbers he recorded during his most dominant years when he frequently competed against Murray in major finals.
In 2011, when Djokovic won three Grand Slam titles and dominated the men’s circuit, his first serve percentage was 65%. The same statistic was recorded in 2016, another year in which he secured three Grand Slam victories. In 2021, when he triumphed at the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon, his first serve percentage was again 65%. Two years later, in 2023, when he also captured three major titles, it dropped slightly to 64%.
Despite only being a third of the way into the 2025 season, Djokovic’s outstanding serving performances at the Australian Open and the Miami Open have elevated his numbers to the highest level of his career.
A 5% improvement in first-serve percentage may not seem drastic at first glance, but in elite sports, such small margins can make a significant difference. It is comparable to a sprinter shaving a quarter of a second off their 100-meter personal best or a footballer adding five extra goals to their season tally. At the highest level of competition, even the slightest improvements can prove decisive.
Djokovic’s serving efficiency extends beyond just his first serve percentage. In the 203 service games he has played so far this season, he has won an impressive 76% of the first points on his serve and has successfully held serve 89% of the time. These numbers are remarkable, especially considering that he will soon celebrate his 38th birthday. Even Djokovic himself has expressed some surprise at the consistency and effectiveness of his serving this year.
Speaking after his Miami Open semi-final victory against Grigor Dimitrov, Djokovic acknowledged his improved serve but downplayed the notion that it had been an area of specific focus.
“I wouldn’t say we particularly paid so much attention to the serve before this tournament, as if it needed to be worked on separately from all the other shots to reach a certain level,” Djokovic explained. “I think I’ve been serving pretty well this year. Maybe some other elements in my game haven’t been working as well, but my serve has been solid.”
He went on to highlight just how much his serving has improved. “This is a whole different level of serving, honestly. I didn’t expect myself to surpass my last serving performance, where I hit 83%, and then I reached 87% today. I think I missed only five or six serves in the entire match. That’s an incredibly high standard.”
As the clay-court season approaches, it will be interesting to see whether Djokovic can maintain this level of serving. If he does, it could significantly bolster his chances of winning major titles at the French Open and Wimbledon in the coming months. Given that he is widely regarded as one of the greatest returners of serve in tennis history, pairing that skill with an elite-level serve could make him an even more formidable opponent.