Lendl Is Satisfied With His Work With Murray

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 4th February 2014

Lendl Is Satisfied With His Work With Murray

epa04030192 Andy Murray (L) of Great Britain trains next to his coach Ivan Lendl of the USA during a practice session at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 19 January 2014. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON |

Enigmatic Ivan Lendl appears to be quietly satisfied with the work he’s done over the past few seasons with Andy Murray, taking the Scot to his first two grand slam titles. The 53-year-old Czech who never, ever lets his emotions get out of hand and is known for sitting stone-faced through the most dramatic of matches.

Lendl is quick to see the similarities with Murray and his own world-class career three decades ago. “We had the unfortunate part we shared that both of us lost a few (majors) before we won the first one, and we understood each other with that quite well,” said the first of the “celebrity” former-player coaches. “I could understand how he was feeling, how frustrating it is.”

Despite Murray’s Australian Open quarter-final loss to Roger Federer as the Scot returned to tennis after autumn back surgery, his coach was proud of his effort. Murray back that confidence up at the weekend as he secured the winning point in an historic Davis Cup humiliation of the US in San Diego on the very clay designed to trip him up by the hosts.

“I think it was realistic what Andy achieved at the Australian Open,” Lendl told a conference call for the seniors events which he will begin later this week in the US. “He was very close to doing better.

“I wish he had done better because that match was the beginning of the fourth set; anything could have happened after he served match point and Roger was serving for the match, If Andy had gotten ahead in the fourth I think he had an excellent chance of winning, but unfortunately he got behind.”

Lendl will join other legends in the PowerShares Series events in Kansas City on February 5, Oklahoma City on February 6, Indianapolis on February 14, Nashville, Tennessee, on March 12, and Charlotte, North Carolina, on March 13.

Topics: 10sballs, Andy Murray, Australian Open, Ivan Lendl, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News