RELIGHT MY FIRE
Murray backs Lendl to find spark as struggling star chases French title
IVAN LENDL arrived at Roland Garros filled with a lifetime of experience and knowledge – but Andy Murray is just hoping he’s packed a box of matches.
The world No.1 is desperate to rediscover the spark that will reignite the competitive fire in him and turn him back into a Grand Slam champion.
This time last year Murray was beginning the seven-month journey that would take him to the top of the rankings.
He played his best clay-court season then switched from red clay to the green grass of home and was unstoppable.
On he went, from continent to continent, winning titles to a band playing.
When he finished the year as world No.1 he knew he might have a bit of a letdown – and would need to find new goals.
But nearly six months into the season, he can’t work out why he’s still feeling flat in matches.
Murray said: “If you achieve something quite big it can be quite natural to struggle for a few months. I’ve been training as well as I could but in a couple matches it’s just been a little flat.
“When I won Wimbledon the first time I felt like that was why I was playing. I had achieved my biggest goal and I felt a bit lost afterwards. You need to then reset your goals.
“I don’t know exactly why that happens, what the reason for it is, because I still love the travel, I love practising, I love the training. I still love tennis.
“But it happens. Everyone goes through it. I’ll keep plugging away until I get back to where I want to get to.”
Despite struggling with a virus all week and still having a hacking cough the Scot forced himself on to the practise courts.
Yesterday, in the searing heat, HEATHER WATSON’S bid to qualify for the French Open ended in a finalround loss to Dutch ace Richel Hogenkamp.
The British No.2, who has dropped to 118 in the world will now fall further, lost 6-0 6-3 in an hour and 10 minutes.
It leaves Johanna Konta as the only Brit in the women’s singles. he was hard at work for three hours under Lendl’s watchful gaze.
This is the first tournament they have worked at together since the Australian Open in January and Murray is hoping Lendl’s fresh view can find the solution to his problems.
Murray said: “When I’ve been struggling, having someone coming in with a fresh voice, different set of eyes, can help and give you a different perspective.
“He’s been through struggles in his own career, when he was a top player, and understands how to get out of it. He can help me with that.
“The only way to get through it is to work your way through it, keep working on your game, try and understand what’s not been going right.”
Murray will need to be back to his best if he is to reach the French Open Final for the second straight year.
Starting against Andrey Kuznetsov, the world No.49 from Russia, Murray would then face Slovakia’s Martin Klizan.
In the third round Juan Martin del Potro could await, John Isner or Tomas Berdych in the fourth and Kei Nishikori or Alexander Zverev in the quarters.
Murray said: “I want to get through this and I know I will. I just don’t know when. But I hope it’s in a few days.”
I’d achieved my biggest goal, I felt lost