Rafa taking 10-tative approach
PARIS — World No 1 Andy Murray rejected suggestions that the absence of coach Ivan Lendl was behind his slump in form after reaching the French Open second round.
Former three-time Roland Garros champion Lendl was back in Murray’s players’ box for the first time since the Australian Open during Tuesday’s four-set victory over Andrey Kuznetsov.
Top seed Murray, who lost last year’s final against Novak Djokovic, recovered from a second-set slip to beat his Russian opponent 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.
“It was a decent start, considering obviously how I played in the buildup,” said Murray, who suffered early clay-court exits in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome.
“It definitely got better as it went on. I started to move a bit better towards the end. Was hitting the ball better when I was defending. That’s something the last few weeks I haven’t done so well and didn’t start off the match doing particularly well.”
The 30-year-old has struggled for consistency since supplanting Djokovic at the top of the rankings following his Paris Masters triumph last November.
Murray’s fourth-round loss to Mischa Zverev at the Australian Open was his earliest Grand Slam exit since the 2010 US Open.
He responded by lifting the trophy in Dubai, but since then has had a serious of premature defeats, excepting his run to the Barcelona semis.
“If things aren’t going well, people will try to find the reason that is, you know, and blame Ivan or an injury or that I’m not motivated or whatever. That’s what happens,” said Murray.
“But for me, I don’t think it’s anything to do with Ivan not being there.
“Last year after Wimbledon I saw Ivan at the US Open, for two weeks. But from Wimbledon through until the World Tour Finals, I only spent those two weeks with him.
“And I had the best, pretty much the best period of my career, and no one mentioned Ivan not being around.”
After needing five sets to outlast Radek Stepanek in last year’s opening round, Murray’s progression was more serene this time, barring a second set in which he dropped service three times.
Murray will face Martin Klizan for a place in the last 32 after the Slovak prevailed in a five-setter against French wild card Laurent Lokoli.
The latter refused a postmatch handshake with Klizan and accused his opponent of faking injury.
“He has a lot of talent and he can hit a big ball from anywhere on the court. He is also quite unpredictable in the way he plays,” Murray said of Klizan, whom the Scot beat in three sets in their only previous meeting in Vienna last season.
“He plays a lot of dropshots and has quite an unorthodox sort of shot selection, so it can be difficult to prepare for that.
“Obviously I saw a few videos of his match today. It was obviously a pretty entertaining match.”
PARIS — Carlos Moya has told Rafael Nadal to ignore all talk of a 10th French Open title, but said the double-digit target is causing pressure for his fellow Spaniard.
Moya, the 1998 Roland Garros champion and also a former world No 1, is part of Nadal’s coaching team in Paris and is keen to keep expectations in check.
“Clearly there is a bit of pressure. We don’t pay much attention to making it number 10,” said 40-year-old Moya.
“We take it into account but we try to ignore it. We try to coexist as best as possible with the pressure.”
Moya works alongside Nadal’s longtime coach, his uncle Toni, as well as Francesco Roig.
When Toni steps down
For me, I don’t think that it’s anything to do with Ivan not being there.” Andy Murray,
from the team at the end of the year, Moya will assume all coaching control of his fellow Mallorcan.
Moya and Nadal have been close friends for years and he knows the powers that the nine-time Roland Garros champion possesses, having got a close look in Paris 10 years ago.
Nadal beat him in the quarterfinals in what proved to be Moya’s last match on Philippe Chatrier Court.
“I remember the beating that I took. He was playing very well and I was playing well too, but his level was very high,” recalled Moya.
“I was out of my reach and it was my last match on Philippe Chatrier.”
Moya revealed that in training they have been working on perfecting Nadal’s sec- ond serve to back up the 30year-old’s fierce ground strokes.
“We have been working quite a bit on the second service, trying to be more aggressive. This is what we have been working on the most,” said Moya.
Nadal, who won the last of his 14 majors at the 2014 French Open, is the overwhelming favorite for a 10th Roland Garros this year.
Moya is confident Nadal is in the right shape to achieve the goal having won clay titles in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and Madrid already this year.
“For me, the preparation has been ideal, he has trained well and is physically healthy.
“Victories are needed, no one assures you of playing well, but you have to be able to know that you can do it.”
Moya also believes defending champion Novak Djokovic made a smart move in bringing in eight-time major champion Andre Agassi as his coach, albeit for just the first week in Paris.
“I think he can help. Agassi solved difficult situations on the court when he was a player,” said Moya.
“Djokovic hopes that Andre will help him solve his difficult situations and be able to help him return to his best level.
“I figured he was going to take on a powerful name, but I do not know what kind of relationship they’re going to have. Agassi will not be in Paris in the second week.
“Let’s see if he gets Agassi on the circuit bit by bit.”