Home

Tennis

‘They Are Like Bulldogs’ – Coach Ivan Lendl on Rafael Nadal’s Australian Open 2022 Win, Reaffirms Andy Murray’s Comeback

Published 03/28/2022, 9:51 AM EDT

Follow Us

via Reuters

Andy Murray has been experiencing a dark phase of his career. The former World No. 1 announced his retirement at the 2019 Australian Open. However, after being out for 7 months, he made a comeback at the Cincinnati Open. Even after repeated and dedicated efforts, the Brit has been constantly failing to get back his form, let alone the vintage one.

Ivan Lendl hopeful of a strong comeback by Murray

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Andy Murray proudly shares the title of one of the best players on tour with Rafael Nadal. Being the same age, both have competed in the same era of the sport. Last year, Nadal underwent surgery for his long lying foot problem. And in 2022, he not only made a comeback but also won his 21st Grand Slam at the Australian Open. Apart from that, he also won two other titles.

Taking that into consideration, Lendl, while talking to a journalist said, “You are asking this with a straight face after what Rafa [Nadal] has done in Australia.”

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest Tennis stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

During his peak, Andy Murray was highly regarded as arguably the most dedicated player in the match. Like Nadal, Andy Murray too, hardly ever loosened up in a match. The dedication not only helped Murray reach the top spot in rankings. But also helped him win 3 Grand Slams and 2 Olympic Golds.

via Getty

A winner of 8 Grand Slams himself, Lendl further went on appreciating the determination of Andy Murray, along with the other top players. He asserted that these players are like Bulldogs. He said, “All these guys have incredible determination. They are just like bulldogs and they want to do things because they haven’t been done before. If they set their mind to it then they can achieve amazing things.”

‘Extremely Stressful in My Personal Life’ – Victoria Azarenka Announces Shocking Update on Future After Miami Open 2022 Retirement

Revisiting the example of Nadal. Lendl further said, “Rafa said he wasn’t even sure he’s going to be able to play again, then he goes and wins the Australian Open.” “So yes, these guys can do it,” he further added.

Andy Murray on the Grass Court

Apart from the hardcourt, every player has a performance inclination towards a particular court surface. In Murray’s case, it is the grass court. Statistically, Murray has had his best runs in Grass tournaments. Going by the records, Murray has a total of 8 Grass Court titles, of which, two being Wimbledon, and one being the 2012 Olympics.

 

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

via Reuters

Watch this story-Will Smith Shows How King Richard Cast Trained Like Serena and Venus Williams

When asked about which surface can Murray make the best comeback on, Ivan Lendl said, “I would say grass is probably Andy’s best surface. A lot of the players, it’s their worst surface. That would obviously increase his chances.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Murray has already made an announcement that he will be missing the clay season to prepare better for the grass courts.

We hope that it works out for Murray and wish him the best.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Ahmar Wasif

953Articles

One take at a time

Ahmar Wasif is a tennis author at EssentiallySports. He is a national level tennis player and has a number of titles to his name. His experience on the court allows him to incorporate a deeper understanding in his coverage of the sport.
Show More>

Edited by:

Deepakshi Chaudhary