Murray hires Ivan Lendl as new full time coach

First topic message reminder :

Murray has hired Ivan Lendl as a new full time coach! He is to take his position with immediate effect, a few weeks before the Aus Open.

This is what he had to say on facebook:
'Very happy to announce that Ivan Lendl is my new full time coach. His impact on the game is unquestionable and he brings experience and knowledge that few others have, particularly in major tournaments. Happy New Year '

What do you think???

It's an excellent choice and I can't see any downsides to it. Even if it only lasts for a short time, it gives Andy a chance to get inside the head of a guy who is a multi-Slam winner and who was number one for a little matter of 270 weeks.
Let's face it, even going out for a few dinners with Ivan and listening to what it was LIKE to be a winner and what he FELT at vital times in matches is going to be a help for Andy.
Lendl will, I think, help with the MENTAL side of things. At this level all the players can play. It's just what goes on inside the head that spearates the greats from the nearly-greats.
The fact that Lendl aint coached before may actually be a bonus. He'll find this a new challenge and won't be so jaded by all the ncessary travel/hotel rooms.

sirfredperry wrote:The fact that Lendl aint coached before may actually be a bonus. He'll find this a new challenge and won't be so jaded by all the ncessary travel/hotel rooms.

That's a really interesting observation sir fred - he will definitely be bringing fresh eyes to Murray rather than a successful strategy with another player which may or may not have motivated Andy in the same way.

Did you have a lovely time in sunny Barbados btw, or have you not been yet?

sirfredperry wrote:It's an excellent choice and I can't see any downsides to it. Even if it only lasts for a short time, it gives Andy a chance to get inside the head of a guy who is a multi-Slam winner and who was number one for a little matter of 270 weeks.

But you can buy a slam champion (as coach) but you can't buy a slam.

Lendl might just be a good coach. I found his views of the game recently very accurate for someone who lost interest in teh game. Lendl is very pragmatic and maybe that might help Murray. If Lendl coudl teach him his FH, then Murray will surely win a slam but unfortunately those kind of shots cannot be taught at 25.

Murray beats Muller 4-6 7-6 6-0.

Not sure what the hell happened in that 3rd set!

Time please - Off to Barbados on Fri Jan 20 - slap bang in the middle of the Slam. Do hope I get to see something of the AO although we'll be so far behind in time that the tournament may well be over while we're still watching first-week matches.
Seen AO from, variously, South Africa, Tenerife (where we sat enthralled by the Rafa-Rog 09 final) Kenya and....Hatch End.

Have a great time sir fred - will be away myself for much of the AO but on the snowy slopes of Davos - I'm sure I may be able to find a Rog match at least there

Hawkeye, if you want to get more info on Lendl and his career, then Paste "Lendl: If I could get fed by injection, I would (Part 1)" into a search engine and you should get some decent picks. Top one on Google.

Personally I think Murray should have initially appointed him on a part time basis or a short term contract to see how things went. Then later make the decision to go full time, stay as they are or go their separate ways.

Mainly because, as great as Lendl was, he's never been a full time coach to a top player.

I once wrote a lengthy thread on 606v1 about Lendl...called "Lendl - the forgotten man of tennis". Some of his achievements were truly outstanding, and had he arguably not played across the most competitive era of all time (IMO) who knows what records he may have set. More than Laver, Borg, Connors or Mac, he brought us modern day tennis as we know it now (again IMO).

Jubbahey wrote:Hawkeye, if you want to get more info on Lendl and his career, then Paste "Lendl: If I could get fed by injection, I would (Part 1)" into a search engine and you should get some decent picks. Top one on Google.

Thank you for that! It was a facinating read. I read through part 1 - part 6. It left me with a bit to think about. My first thought though is that I can understand why I preferred womens tennis in the 90's... My second is that I definately prefer people that live to eat. I also think I would like Wojtek Fibak.