Murray credits Lendl for Wimbledon triumph

 

Originally published on: 08/07/13 00:00

The world No.2 beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets – 6-4 7-5 6-4 – to land his second Grand Slam title.

After linking up with Lendl at the beginning of last year, Murray enjoyed a breakthrough 2012 season – winning Olympic gold after reaching his first Wimbledon final, and finally ending his wait for a major title at the US Open in September.

Like his student, Lendl lost his first four major finals, before going onto win eight Grand Slam titles and become world No.1, and Murray believes Lendl’s honesty and attention to detail has made the difference.

“I think he's always been very honest with me,” Murray said. “He's always told me exactly what he thought.  And in tennis, it's not always that easy to do in a player/coach relationship.  The player is sometimes the one in charge.  I think sometimes coaches are not always that comfortable doing that.

“If I work hard, he's happy.  If I don't, he's disappointed, and he'll tell me.  And when I've lost matches, last year after the final he told me he was proud of the way I played because I went for it when I had chances.  It was the first time I played a match in a Grand Slam final like that.

“He's got my mentality slightly different going into those sort of matches. He's made me learn more from the losses that I've had than maybe I did in the past.”

Murray, who joins his brother Jamie as a Wimbledon champion after his win in the mixed doubles in 2007, admitted he had felt a huge amount of expectation from the British public to emulate Fred Perry, who won his third Wimbledon title in 1936.  

“For the last four or five years, it's been very, very tough, very stressful, a lot of pressure,” Murray said.  “The few days before the tournament, it’s been really difficult, as well.

"The last two days were not easy.  Because it's just kind of everywhere you go.  It's so hard to avoid everything because of how big this event is, but also because of the history and no Brit having won.  It's been very, very difficult. I think now it will become easier.  I hope it will.”

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