Novak Djokovic's quest for a historic 11th Australian Open crown will begin with three-time Grand Slam winner and long-time rival Andy Murray in his coaching corner.
The Serbian star had the better of Murray in their head-to-head clashes with a 25-11 advantage, meeting seven times in major finals.
But now, a member of the 'Big Four' will join forces with Djokovic as coach, as confirmed by the 24-time Grand Slam champion on social media.
"We played each other since we were boys — 25 years of being rivals, of pushing each other beyond our limits," Djokovic said.
"We had some of the most epic battles in our sport. I thought our story may be over.
"Turns out, it has one final chapter. It's time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome on board, coach — Andy Murray.
"I look forward to starting the season with Andy and having him by my side in Melbourne, where we've shared many exceptional moments throughout our careers."
Murray is relishing the opportunity to work with arguably the greatest tennis player of all time, stating: "I'm looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals."
The former world No.1 Brit announced his retirement from the sport after this year's Wimbledon, jokingly posting on socials that he "didn't like tennis anyway."
Djokovic joined in the banter, sharing a video of the pair's recent battles on social media with a caption reading: "He never liked retirement anyway."
The reaction across social media expectedly drew a mixture of surprise and excitement.
The Australian Open commences on Sunday, January 12.
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