Novak Djokovic says hugging coach Andy Murray after beating Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open last eight was a "gesture of appreciation".

The Australian Open’s new “coaching pods” have continued to raise eyebrows after a conversation between Novak Djokovic and his new coach Andy Murray left fans in disbelief.

Novak Djokovic has been pleasantly surprised by the professionalism of new coach Andy Murray in the leadup to the Australian Open but said sharing his deepest thoughts with his former rival had initially been a challenge.

Novak Djokovic and his new coach, Andy Murray, are taking advantage of a new setup at the Australian Open that gives players' entourages a chance to sit right next to the court in special four-seat pods.

As Novak Djokovic produced a performance up there with the best of his wins over former rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, he turned to Sir Andy Murray in celebration.

Novak Djokovic expressed his appreciation and gratitude to his coach Andy Murray after his epic Australian Open quarter-final victory over Carlos Alcaraz. The legendary Serb described the triumph as “a huge win” for his relationship with Murray as he praised the Brit for the commitment he has brought to the role.

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have known each other for a quarter of a century. They played from the age of 12, meeting 36 times as professionals, including 10 Grand Slam matches.

Novak Djokovic headed straight to his former rival-turned-coach Andy Murray after defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open quarterfinals.