Murray/Lendl need more time: McEnroe.

[Paul Murphy]

John McEnroe tells the Independent that while he thinks old rival Ivan Lendl's decision to coach Andy Murray was a good one, it's too early to tell whether it will reap benefits for the world No. 4.

"Actually this is the first time you can get some kind of gauge of how it's going," he said. "It was too early in Australia. At first I thought it was crazy, then I thought it was going to work out. Now we'll have to wait and see. You have to give it some time."

McEnroe added that Murray needs to be focused on his tennis rather than be distracted by physical problems.

"I just remember watching Federer the first year he won Wimbledon," said McEnroe. "He was struggling with his back problem. I remember it vividly. It looked like there was a chance he was not going to finish. He had that look in his eye. Then somehow he found the wherewithal to dig a little deeper, and suddenly he wins the thing and he's a different player."


Agree or disagree?

 

[3fees]

I disagree, since his collaboration started with Lendl-the only thing Murray has got is Lendl's bill for coaching him, hes still stuck at no 4 and does not appear to have enough gas in the tank to break into the top 3,,he'll be no 3 when fedex retires or gets a coach that can move him up with the tools he has.

Cheers
3fees

 

[TigerTim]

give them untill the next Aussie Open I say

 

[MG1]

give them untill the next Aussie Open I say

Thats too long in tennis term...

Day after day i'm being pessimistic about this joint venture and its not lendl fault IMO.

 

[batz]

I disagree, since his collaboration started with Lendl-the only thing Murray has got is Lendl's bill for coaching him, hes still stuck at no 4 and does not appear to have enough gas in the tank to break into the top 3,,he'll be no 3 when fedex retires or gets a coach that can move him up with the tools he has.

Cheers
3fees

I disagree too! Murray was a point away form serving for the match in his AO semi v Noel - a quantum leap from his performance 12 months earlier. He then became the 1st man this season to beat Noel. His clay court season was definitely inferior to last year but the back injury provides some mitigation for that - even then, Murray went down to Ferrer still going for his forehand DTL and inside out - as a Murray watcher for many years now I can assure you that this is something quite different.

Ivan is not there to help Murray win non-slam events - we need to judge their partnership at the slams.

 

[MG1]

I think by USO everything will be revealed that how much murray has gain ...1 year is more than enough to implement anything even in long term.

 

[batz]

I think by USO everything will be revealed that how much murray has gain ...1 year is more than enough to implement anything even in long term.

Fair comment IMO.

 

[Alchemy-Z]

I hope it starts working before US open...like wimbledon.

 

[Mainad]

It's a bit worrying for me that Murray's level seems to have gone down since Dubai when it should be going up if he is to have a realistic shot at Wimbledon or the Olympics this year. Not sure how much of it is due to the bad back or to the influence of Lendl now that that has begun to kick in.

It's true that a new player-coach relationship can take time to work out but I hope it won't take up most of the year before it starts to bear fruit. We're almost at the end of June now and there hasn't been much sign of Murray raising his level.

If he suffers another early exit at Wimbledon, I shall begin to seriously question the value of Lendl's coaching. It may be time to call it quits and get back to what he was doing reasonably successfully before.