Andy Murray parts ways with coach Lendl again

Andy Murray has split from coach Ivan Lendl for a third time.

The former world No 1 had been reunited with Lendl in 2022, working together for a third time, but Murray announced on Friday that they have decided to go their separate ways. The 36-year-old will stick with coaches Mark Hilton and Jonny O’Mara.

“Ivan has been by my side at the biggest moments in my career and I can’t thank him enough for all that he’s helped me achieve.  He’s a unique character, who understands what it takes to win and I’ve learnt an awful lot over the years from him.”

After agreeing to rejoin Murray in 2022, Lendl has rarely been seen on Tour in the past year, away from the Grand Slam events. Though the Scot has improved his ranking again in 2023 to its best level since his career-saving hip surgery in 2019, he expressed his frustrations recently, admitting he was lacking enjoyment from the sport and that he would need to do some long, hard training to get it back.

Lendl said he was proud of the work the pair have done and the achievements they shared.

“I will look back with some great memories of the time Andy and I worked together,” he said. “He’s as hard a worker as there is and the sport is better because of him. I wish him only the best in the years to come.”

Lendl’s crucial role in making Murray a slam winner

When Andy Murray first hired Lendl in 2011 – a surprise to everyone in tennis at the time – he hoped that Lendl’s experience would help him get over the line in a Grand Slam final.

Murray had lost all of his first three slam finals, but under the influence of the Czech-born American, who lost his first four slam finals, he broke through. Though he lost another one, at Wimbledon in 2012, he finally won a big one when he triumphed at the Olympics – held at Wimbledon – and then won his first slam later that year at the US Open.

Under Lendl, Murray won Wimbledon in 2013 and though they split for the first time in 2014, they reunited in 2016, when Murray won Wimbledon for a second time, picked up a second Olympic gold medal in Rio and went on to become world No 1 for the first time.

They split for a second time in 2017 but joined forces again in 2022.

Murray reached the third round of the Australian Open at the start of 2023 but though he has climbed to No 42 in the rankings, he has been disappointed by his efforts at the Grand Slams this year, with a third-round showing at the Australian Open his best effort (he skipped the French Open).

Murray is due to start his 2024 campaign in the Brisbane International.

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