Andy Murray credits relationship with coach Ivan Lendl as key to his successes

The Brit superstar credits his renewed relationship with coach Ivan Lendl as the main factor behind his surge into today’s final against 6ft 5ins Canadian monster server Milos Raonic.

Murray now stands on the verge of winning his second Wimbledon title, and knows he will never have a better chance than against the sixth seed, playing in his first Grand Slam final.

And this time he intends to enjoy it.

Murray credits the man who tells him like it is for getting him to this point…the bond between them seems unbreakable this time around.

On the eve of  today’s Centre Court clash, Murray said: “I trust him as a person. He’s very solid. He will certainly never lie to you or bulls*** you.

“He’s not on top of you all of the time. But when it’s time to work, he is there and he works really hard.

“We probably had dinner together twice the last time we worked together.

“We spend a decent amount of time together at the courts and stuff. Away from that we don’t spend a lot of time together.”

But it’s that time on court which has made Murray, 29,  a more ruthless warrior, and now he hopes to enjoy the day much more than he did when he became the first Brit since Fred Perry to win Wimbledon in 2013.

Murray said: “I have the trophy in my house. I haven’t watched the tape much in the last couple of years to be honest.

“But at the time I watched it a lot for a few months afterwards: the end of the match and a few highlights and whatnot.

“I know how hard these events are to win.

“Wimbledon when we won it the first time was a huge, huge relief. I maybe didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have.

“There was a lot of pressure to do that for the first time. I would love to do it again.”

So how did they try to nullify the 140mph cruise missiles Raonic will be firing at him today.

Lendl, who rejoined the Scotsman’s team  last month, got assistant  coach Jamie Delgado to smash balls as hard as he could at Murray, standing eight yards inside the baseline.

Lendl is confident his man will know too much for Raonic and will will be lifting the trophy again in the lengthening shadows at Wimbledon.

What has impressed him in Murray’s march to the final this time around?

 Lendl said: “Just how mentally engaged he has been the entire time.

“Practices and matches, it’s been great. He is mentally engaged playing every point in practice and that’s how you get better, being consistent in effort and consistently trying to do your best.

“Better than before? Definitely, he’s very focused.

“I think he is a better player, more complete.

“I don’t beat around the bush, you can see it on the court.

“Why say ‘Hey Finn [practice partner] could you move to the other side?’ just say ‘other side’ because we’ve done it so many times.

“Why use 50 words when you can use two? I don’t see any point in that.”

But what about Raonic’s claim he would try to serve through Murray, like he did Roger Federer in the semi final?

Lendl replied: “I didn’t watch the Roger match but I know the numbers a bit. I think there was more to it than that.

“There was a reason he was able to do that.

“You have to worry every time about what the opponent does and respect every opponent, and certainly Raonic’s serve deserves the upmost respect.”

The feeling among those who back the bookies in making Murray a clear favourite to win today is that his return of serve and greater experience of the big occasion, especially on grass, will allow him to repeat his victory over Raonic three weeks ago at Queen’s.

Lendl’s calming presence is also a key factor.

He has slipped back into Team Murray as if he had never been away.

Their relationship feels a bit like the one between the young John Connor and the cyborg killing machine played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

This afternoon is a moment of reckoning for Murray, the chance to win Wimbledon again...an be just a title away from matching Perry’s hat-trick.

Immortality is calling...