MAKE A RACKET ANDY
Lendl ok with Muzza rants
IVAN LENDL has told Andy Murray to carry on screaming all the way to the French Open final.
The world No.1 had a bawl in Gaul in his opening matches as he shouted his way back into form – and even his famously stone-faced head coach roared him on.
Now Lendl has given the Scot licence to yell against Stan Wawrinka in their blockbuster last-four clash at lunchtime today as he bids to reach his 12th Grand Slam final.
“I think Andy needs to get his energy out,” said the triple French Open champion. “As long as he can focus on the next point, it doesn’t really matter to me. He’s won five matches and I’m hoping he can win one more.”
Lendl has teamed up with Murray for the first time since his shock Australian Open defeat. The Scot missed a planned training block in Miami because of an elbow injury and then had flu. And his build-up to Paris was hit by a heavy cold. “It’s nice that Andy’s healthy and he can put the practice in and I think the results are starting to come,” Lendl said.
Wawrinka, 32, is the oldest semifinalist here since Jimmy Connors in 1985. Nine-time champion and hot favourite Rafa Nadal faces the only man to beat him on clay this season – Dominic Thiem – in the other semi.