Coach tempted out of retirement by prospect of working with 21-year-old German while creaking Murray returns to US Open as an almost invisible former championWhen Andy Murray hooked up with Ivan Lendl seven years ago, he seemed convinced that, after several experiments with other coaches, he and old Rock Jaw would be together for the rest of his career. Within a year, he had broken through for an Olympic gold medal and his first grand slam title at the US Open. Two Wimbledon titles would follow – then injury, struggle and no little angst.When Murray arrived this week in New York to prepare for the US Open, the last major of the season, he may have experienced a shiver of regret, or...
The Scot has been out for a year but Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic remain the players to beatThe tennis jungle Andy Murray is preparing to re-enter – possibly next week at Queen’s Club – will not be noticeably different to the one from which he hobbled away a year ago.Roger Federer will be easing back into shape at Halle, having again chosen to skip the clay to save his 36-year-old legs for the grass of the All England Club he finds so suited to his game. Novak Djokovic – despite an uncharacteristically short-tempered exit from Roland Garros, mumbling about uncertainty over his future – will be desperate to get his career back on track where he has...
The Swiss has regained his position as world No 1, while Murray is heading out of the top 50 and should consider restoring his partnership with his brother, JamieLike Roger Federer’s exquisite backhand down the line, all things must pass – and nobody is more aware of the tyranny of time than the Swiss.Still resting from the rigours of clay (the odds on his ever trying again for the French Open are paper-thin), Federer is 37 in August and continues to astound with his longevity. Federer returned to world No 1 this week without lifting a racket after Dominic Thiem stopped Rafael Nadal’s record run of 50 sets in a row in Madrid last week – then the Austrian bowed...
The men’s champion and Caroline Wozniacki withstood the intense temperatures which affected so many playersThis turbulent Australian Open has been about longevity, endurance and iced towels, three of the defining features of the modern game.The wonder of Roger Federer’s victory against the 29-year-old Marin Cilic on Sunday was not just that it gave him his 20th major in a record 30th final but that the 36‑year‑old Swiss fashioned a fortnight of such sweet perfection to get there, spending less than 11 hours on court while his younger rivals laboured in the killing heat for much longer. Cilic clocked up 17hr 3min en route. At the end it showed. Related: Caroline Wozniacki ends years of doubt with maiden grand slam | Simon Cambers...
Few expect revolution as grand slam committees meet in London, but world No2 accepts his sport must start considering theories of evolution if it is to survive beyond modern eraTennis has been drifting inexorably towards a crossroads for at least five years, and rarely has that been more clearly underlined than in events 700 miles apart this weekend. In Milan, the conclusion of the inaugural Next Gen tournament, packed with innovations such as the shot clock and shortened points, celebrated the arrival of the best of the young prospects in the game, while in London those left standing among the established elite dragged their tired bones to the white line for their final showdown of the season.There is a decent...