LENDL: THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING
IVAN LENDL believes Andy Murray’s stunning US Open victory can be the first of many grand slam triumphs.
Murray claimed a thrilling five-set victory against Novak Djokovic in New York in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Like Murray, Lendl lost four grand slam finals before winning his fifth. He went on to win eight before retiring.
And he is hopeful the brilliant Brit can follow in his footsteps and take his career to a new level.
“I’m very happy for him – it’s a great achievement. Let’s hope he can continue to rack up many more,” said Lendl, who joined the Murray team in December.
“You can help somebody for a very short period of time, but it takes more than that.
“You cannot help somebody in one week, you cannot do it in one month.
“Hopefully we are not anywhere near where Andy can be.”
Presence
Former British No.1 Roger Taylor, a four-time grand slam semi-finalist, believes Lendl’s contribution cannot be overlooked.
The 70-year-old said: “So much confidence has come from Andy’s Olympics win and Lendl has added a great presence.
“Andy respects him and Ivan has realised Andy needs to play closer to the baseline.
“Lendl has made a great difference, he is a great character and has gelled the team together.”
Greg Rusedski, who tasted defeat in the 1997 US Open final, believes Lendl has helped Murray to be mentally tougher.
“At the end of the day he found a way to get it done and found a way to control his emotions,” he said.
“Andy can thank Ivan Lendl for that. You have to give him so much credit for what he’s done, to keep believing in what he’s done. It shows you what a champion he is.
“Having won this, he can go on to win many majors – and maybe end the year as the world No.1.”
Great Britain’s Davis Cup coach Leon Smith, who is also head of men’s tennis at the LTA and was Murray’s first professional coach, knew from an early age the Scot had the talent to go all the way in a grand slam.
Smith said: “I’m so pleased for Andy because knowing him you see how much work he’s put in, not just this year but over the years.
“He’s really worked hard, physically and mentally, to get his game to this level.”
Roger Draper, chief executive of the LTA, says the win caps a remarkable year for Murray, with the triumph coming off the back of victory over Roger Federer to win Olympic gold at Wimbledon. Draper said: “We are really proud of Andy and what he has achieved. We see the hard work that he puts in day in and day out. It’s a fantastic achievement.
“To win Olympic gold, to beat the greatest tennis player on Centre Court, to then win the silver with Laura Robson and then again to go out and be the first British man in 76 years to win a grand slam has been a phenomenal achievement.”
Setbacks
It was Murray’s first win in five grand slam finals, and Miles Maclagan, who was Murray’s coach between 2008 and 2010, believes those setbacks helped prepare him for the closing moments of his US Open win.
“Towards the end he was quite calm,” Maclagan said. “He was ready for it.
“He had the experience of four finals so he knew what he had to do and he was ready to do it.”