Can Lendl help Murray stop Djokovic?

Andy Murray is to be reunited with Ivan Lendl — and says he wish he had never parted with the inspirational coach.

Andy Murray is to be reunited with Ivan Lendl — and says he wish he had never parted with the inspirational coach.

The Scot is hooking up with Lendl until the end of Wimbledon and beyond, reforming the partnership that brought him his greatest success.

Having made contact with his former mentor on Thursday night, by Saturday Lendl confirmed he was ready to come back. They will resume with immediate effect, starting tomorrow at the Aegon Championships at London’s Queen’s Club, where he plays Frenchman Nicolas Mahut in the first round.

After the consensual Amelie Mauresmo, Murray has reverted to an abrupt coaching style.

‘I’ve always wanted to work with Ivan again. That’s not something that just started this week or last week. It’s been the case for a while,’ admitted the world No 2 yesterday. ‘It’s been maybe a longer time apart than I would have liked.’

The partnership ended in March 2014 after two and a quarter years, two Grand Slam titles and an Olympic gold, with Lendl tiring of the grind of the tour. But now he has re-committed to 18 to 20 weeks per year.

Murray added: ‘He’s a leader, a strong voice and we have had a lot of similar experiences.

‘I have won matches where maybe you expect a pat on the back and you get the opposite from him. And sometimes I have lost matches and been told, “You know what, you played great”.

‘A lot of coaches — sometimes you win and they tell you, “Oh, great job”, regardless of how you have played, and sometimes you lose and it’s, “Oh, that was terrible”. He didn’t see things that way.’

Murray also admitted that tackling the Djokovic problem was a major motivator for bringing in a more heavyweight voice.

‘Obviously the goal is to try to win the major events and right now Novak holds all four. So to win the major events you are more than likely going to have to get past him. That will be a big part of it.’

A sharper mental edge is what Lendl brought first time round. He is genial outside the court but inside he has an authentic hardness, not unlike Murray.

His hiring at the start of 2012 began a trend that continues today, with Milos Raonic now teamed up with John McEnroe.

Should Murray face Raonic in this week’s final or at Wimbledon it will reignite the famous McEnroe-Lendl rivalry.

Lendl is likely to cost Murray a five-figure sum per week, plus potential bonuses. There is little downside to the re-employment, given that the atmosphere among the rest of Team Murray should not be adversely affected.

Jamie Delgado, who has done well since taking over from Mauresmo, is likely to appreciate the chance to learn from Lendl. The others all know the Czech and get on well with him.

However, at 29, Murray is now fully formed as a professional, with less to glean than before.

Lendl’s knowledge of the ever evolving men’s circuit is not as current as it was, his recent involvement in tennis largely restricted to working with some of America’s best juniors.

‘I enjoyed working with Andy, we have always stayed in contact so it should be fun to be part of his team again,’ said Lendl. – Daily Mail