Andy Murray May Be Living Lendl’s Dream

Written by: Staff on 1st July 2013

Andy Murray May Be Living Lendl’s Dream

epa03769959 Andy Murray of Britain serves to Mikhail Youzhny of Russia during their fourth round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 01 July 2013. EPA/KERIM OKTEN |

Coach Ivan Lendl may be living vicariously through Andy Murray as the Scot enters the second week of Wimbledon trying to win the event that his mentor never managed. Back in the day, the 53-year-old Lendl made an heroic effort to lift the grass-court trophy at the All England club without success.

Now, Murray has the chance to break a 77-year hoodoo and become the first Brit to win it at home since Fred Perry in 1936.

Amid the hype, Lendl is working to keep the second seed well-grounded and somewhat distant from the media frenzy which erupts every summer around this time. Helping Murray at this edition is the success of British teenager Laura Robson on the women’s side, which deflects some of the intense pressure.

“The chips fall where they fall but the goal is not to make the semis, not the finals, the goal is to win it,’ Lendl told London’s Daily Mail. “I’m concerned with what shots he’s hitting right, what he’s not hitting right, keep the things he’s doing well going, trying to improve the things he could do better, giving him the best chance of winning. That is my mission.

“I’m trying to keep the guy going, I don’t know if that role changes in the second week, you’re just trying to make sure he’s peaking at the right time.”

Predictions have been flying as Murray progresses at this edition already missing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Talkative John McEnroe, Lendl’s hot tennis rival, turned up the heat by saying it would be “a catastrophe” if top seed Novak Djokovic did not reach the Sunday final.

“Somebody can say Novak Djokovic is the hot favorite, somebody can say it’s the end of the world if Andy wins or he doesn’t win,” said Lendl.

“People need to sell papers or get a TV audience but it doesn’t matter until the final is finished and there is one guy holding the trophy.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Andy Murray, British tennis news, Ivan Lendl, Sports, Tennis, Wimbledon Championships