Andy Murray has given an insight into how Ivan Lendl has helped him deal with critical moments in matches.
Lendl became Murray’s coach in December and while he does not spend every week with his charge, the partnership is evolving into the most important of the Scot’s career.
Following Murray’s four-set loss to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon Final, the pair have started planning the next phase of the British No1’s development, designed to end his role as the ‘nearly man’ in Grand Slam finals.
Sunday was the fourth time Murray has finished runner-up in a major — he failed to win a set in his two defeats in the Australian Open Final and his loss at the US Open — but his performance proved he can bring his best tennis to the biggest occasion. Murray has never shied away from hard work and that makes him the perfect pupil for Lendl who, as a player, redefined the fitness regime needed in men’s tennis. However, the coach has also looked at Murray’s mental approach to the game.
“Ivan is a massive help, especially when it comes to keeping cool, dealing with high-pressure situations and managing tough moments during important matches,” said the world No4. “He’s made a big difference in the way I prepare for the majors, which is something I felt I needed or was maybe missing. Things are going in the right direction but there’s much more to come.”
Murray is taking a break after Wimbledon and could now opt to spend time at his home in Florida where Lendl has his tennis academy at Hilton Head.
The Czech-born Lendl held the No1 ranking for 270 weeks and won eight Grand Slam singles titles. While Murray will struggle to match that CV in an era that includes Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, if one man has the understanding of how to rack up those milestones it is his coach.
That is why the next few months is crucial in the development of their working relationship with the Olympics at Wimbledon, which start on July 28, followed a month later by the US Open on the hard courts that are perfect for Murray’s style of game.
He said: “I’m sure winning an Olympic gold medal would compensate for losing the Wimbledon Final. I need to make sure that over the next few weeks I do all the right things so I have at least an opportunity because it would be easy to do the wrong things just now.
“After I lost in the final in Australia I struggled for a few months and didn’t do the right things. I need to focus on the next couple of weeks and the preparation for that and get myself in good shape. Winning an Olympic gold is a big, big goal of mine.”
