It started as a trickle, this leaking bucket of tennis coaches.
It started in the post-Wimbledon hiatus with Stanislas Wawrinka letting the man who’d coached him since adolescence leach into the dry summer earth in favour of Peter Lundgren.
It was quickly followed by Nikolay Davydenko parting from brother and long-term coach, Eduardo. There is still no announcement of who might plug the hole, but the Russian could fast be running out of options.
For now the trickle has become a flood with world No 4, Andy Murray, parting from his coach of two-and-a-half years, Miles Maclagan. The British No 1 is in the midst of preparations for the US Open Series, yet there is no immediate replacement in the frame. It’s a surprising turn of events.
By coincidence, the American who has been working with the LTA elite squad and GB Davis Cup team—a man who must know the Murray game very well—is leaving the British arena this autumn. That’s Paul Annacone but, by another interesting coincidence, his tie-up for a trial with Roger Federer was announced the day before the Murray split.
So who will provide sustenance and support to Murray during this important phase of the season, a time of year when he could lose ranking points as defending champion in the Canadian Masters and semifinalist in the Cincinnati Masters?
According to the press release issued from Murray’s management company, he is not reviewing his coaching situation until after the US Open, so will depend largely on core support from his trainer Jez Green and physio Andy Ireland. But the X-factor is Alex Corretja, whose role has attracted such varied descriptions as adviser, consultant, and part-time coach.
The Spaniard joined the Murray corner in March 2008 to advise him on his clay-court game, but Corretja has been a part-time presence ever since. It seems that too many cooks may have started to spoil the broth, with Maclagan questioning his role in what had become a rather crowded set-up.
Maclagan’s break with Murray is described as ‘amicable’—as it should be. The fellow Scot has presided over a period of major advances in Murray’s career, including a rise to a high of No 2 in the rankings and two Grand Slam finals.
But there is no doubt that Murray seemed to suffer a major slide in confidence after his loss in the Australian Open this year. He made no impression during the rest of the spring hard-court season and followed it with a lack-lustre clay season.
Murray followed his Wimbledon semifinal exit with a short holiday in Scotland, but has since been training hard at his base in Miami. The regular bulletins on his website that detail his regimes in the heat and humidity of Florida make for exhausting reading.
Murray launches into his first North American tournament this week in Los Angeles thanks to a wild card. It’s Murray’s first time at this event and the late decision to play at such short notice suggests he is keen to get some match practice rather than simply stick to the month of training that was originally scheduled ahead of the first Masters in Toronto.
According to his recent Twitter messages, he’s been knocking with Feliciano Lopez, an aggressive serve-and-volley player who could meet Murray in the semifinals. Perhaps these are signs that Murray is ready to move his game into a new phase, to become the aggressor rather than the counter-puncher, effective though he is in that department.
One thing's certain: He is coach-free. Both Corretja and Maclagan appear to have flown home. According to Murray’s most recent ‘tweet’, however, he’s enjoyed the company of an old friend in Los Angeles: “My old coach Pato Alvarez came to watch me and Feli hit today. So good to see him, he was great to me.”But Alvarez was dropped several years ago for being too focused on clay. Since then, there have been Mark Petchey, Brad Gilbert and, until last weekend, Maclagan. Gilbert had a forthright, strong approach that Murray didn’t get on with. Maclagan has been the opposite: quietly patient and supportive. So what style will Murray look for in the next model?Top of the pile seems to be Darren Cahill, the highly respected and experienced former coach to Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and, most recently, Fernando Verdasco.
Cahill might just fit the bill. He has the resume, the playing experience, and the strong character to bring a substantial new X-factor to the equation.
In the meantime, Murray remains in charge of his own destiny for the rest of the US Open Series. And who knows? If it all goes well, perhaps he’ll test the water of independence for a bit longer.
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