Ivan Lendl is Not Andy Murray’s Only Coach

Written by: Staff on 4th January 2012

Brisbane International tennis tournament

Ivan Lendl is Not Andy Murray’s Only Coach

Andy Murray of Great Britain plays a backhand return during his second round match against Gilles Muller of Luxembourg at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, 04 January 2012. Murray won 4-6, 7-6(4) and 6-0. EPA/DAVE HUNT AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Even though Ivan Lendl is set to touch down in Australia at the end of the week to begin his new fascinating coaching relationship with world no.4 Andy Murray, the Scot is insistent Darren Cahill, the jewel in the crown of the adidas Development Program, will continue to have input.

Cahill, once coach to both Lleyton Hewitt and Andre Agassi, and now very much a part-timer in Murray’s support team when ESPN commentary duties and the intricacies of his adidas deal allows, was in the Scot’s box during the season opener against Kazakhstan’s world No 91, Mikhail Kukushkin at the Brisbane International

It was widely assumed Cahill’s tie-up with Murray would be severed and he would simply concentrate more on aiding other leading adidas contracted male players such as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Fernando Verdasco.

However the Las Vegas-based Australian coach will stay close despite Lendl’s arrival. “I have spoken to Ivan a couple of times,” Murray said. “He understands he hasn’t coached before and someone like Darren has and he will need help with things and can speak to someone to understand how I work as quickly as possible.

“Darren’s been a big help in many ways, especially after I played so poorly after the Australian Open last year and he got me back on track. We’ve had long conversations about what the best direction for me would be and it’s good that he’s still here and will be involved.”

More predictable news was that Dani Vallverdu, Murray’s classmate at the Casal-Sanchez Academy in Barcelona almost a decade ago, will also remain on the team as a constant travelling companion and practice partner.

Murray said: “Dani is always wanting to do whatever he can to help and a lot of guys end up having someone like him around who is so keen, willing to learn and undertake the tasks other people set for them. He’s learnt loads from Darren, they get on great and he and Ivan already get on well, too.

“Any time I have a new coach [and there have been a few] it’s exciting. There’s not much Ivan can do before the Australian Open, I have what I have just now, but after that is done we will work on a lot of things. I’ll get benefits for sure during the Open, but most of the work you get done with coaches is normally when you’re training.”

Topics: Andy Murray, Ivan Lendl

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