Lendl: My new hips can help us ‘ruin’ Novak
IVAN LENDL has revealed that a new set of hips are a major reason for him being able to return to andy Murray’s side in his quest for further major titles.
The aim is also to ‘ruin’ novak Djokovic’s hopes of marching further into the history books as he reprises his role as Murray’s mentor-in-chief.
‘I feel younger because I sleep at night,’ said Lendl of his comeback to frontline coaching after a break of more than two years. ‘With the hips, I wasn’t sleeping at night as it just ached and you can’t sleep well, so I do feel a lot younger. I’m trying to get fitter again and I enjoy that part of it.’
Djokovic — coached by one of Lendl’s old rivals Boris Becker — has established himself as the runaway world no1 in Lendl’s (pictured) absence. The 56-year-old Czech knows that the Serb represents by far the biggest challenge.
‘To me, in tennis there is the career Grand Slam, four in a row, calendar Grand Slam and the Golden Slam (which includes the Olympics) and novak has a chance to do that this year,’ said Lendl. ‘andy and I would like to ruin those plans if we can.
‘It’s something that hasn’t been done for a long time, almost 50 years, hasn’t been done by anyone else other than two men (Rod Laver and Donald Budge), so you must respect that.’
The extent to which the latest Murray-Lendl alliance was hastily cobbled together last week becomes clear in that there is still no formal agreement between the two about how it is going to pan out after Wimbledon.
The 29-year-old Scot has mentioned 18 to 20 weeks per year but this is clearly up for negotiation. asked if there was anything cast iron in place, Lendl replied, with a mischievous glint: ‘no, we will figure it out. I kind of chuckle when I read something and it’s 18 to 20 weeks. I learn something every day.’
Lendl believes he is entering a completely new situation now to the one which greeted him in 2012, when Murray was yet to win a major.
‘I think it’s very different, the position this time,’ he said. ‘Until you win one, you never know you have it in you. We know he has it in him now, so the question is can he do it again?
‘I think that’s definitely an easier question to answer than can you do it at all? So I think it’s quite a bit different.’
Lendl had other offers of coaching work after splitting with Murray in March 2014, but settled for more home-based work in Florida with some of america’s best juniors, supplied by the US Tennis association.
There is a danger of investing his renewed commitment with too much significance, but if it gets Murray one more Grand Slam, it will be judged a success.
The likelihood is that he will not mind making longer trips with the Scot for Grand Slams but will not fancy too many regular ATP events. an exception should be the Miami Open, which is driveable from his Florida base.
‘I’ve been coaching those kids and I love doing that,’ added Lendl. ‘I think they are going to be very helpful if we work long-term, for example in the training block.
‘It will be great for the kids and great for andy. He will have access to six players and there are some guys with big serves, some with big groundstrokes, some with good hands at the net, for whatever drills we need to do we have exactly what we need.
‘I miss home but I always enjoy seeing all the friends out here and former opponents, so it’s enjoyable.’
Lendl believes the tight victory for Murray over nicolas Mahut in the first round of the aegon Championships was a very good start.
‘andy had a tough match, which is what we expected. said Lendl. ‘Mahut is a good grass-court player and I thought it was a real high quality match.’
Murray plays a British opponent for the first time in nearly nine years today when he faces GB no 2 aljaz Bedene in the second round.
Wimbledon have given main draw wildcards, each worth a minimum £30,000, to British players James Ward, alex Ward, Liam Broady, Laura Robson, Katie Swan and Tara Moore.