FRIENDLY WARNING
Write off Murray at your peril, states former coach
A fit Andy Murray could still be competitive against top players and tennis fans should consider themselves lucky still to be able to see the three-time Grand Slam champion in action, the Briton’s former coach Daniel Vallverdu said.
Venezuelan Vallverdu now coaches three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, who crushed former world number one Murray 6-1 6-3 6-2 in the opening round of the 2020 French Open.
It was Murray’s joint-worst loss at a Grand Slam and came on his return to the clay courts at Roland Garros after a three-year absence, during which he has had two major hip surgeries.
The heavy loss prompted seventime Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander to suggest that Murray should consider whether he has the right to accept wild cards into majors at the expense of emerging young players.
“It’s pretty amazing what he’s doing, coming back from the type of injury that he’s had,” Vallverdu said. “We are all very lucky to still be able to have him around and not only in the locker room but to see him compete.”
Vallverdu was part of Murray’s team between 2010 and 2014 when the Scot won the US Open and Wimbledon and also clinched the men’s singles gold medal at his home Olympic Games in London.
“As long as he’s able to keep himself fit and I wouldn’t say painfree but with not so much pain and physically fit, I wouldn’t be surprised if Andy has some very good results next year,” he said.
“What they’re going to be is difficult to say but I do believe that he if he manages to keep his body fit, he will be competitive against the top guys and in the big events as well.
“I would never write him off.” Vallverdu was 24 when he started working with Murray, who was a year younger, and he has gone on to coach top names in tennis like Tomas Berdych, Grigor Dimitrov and former women’s world number one Karolina Pliskova.
Vallverdu feels “the foundation of a relationship with a player is professionalism and mutual respect”. —