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Andy Murray ends coaching relationship with Amelie Mauresmo

Last updated on .From the section Tenniscomments299

Andy Murray and Amelie Mauresmo
Andy Murray began working with Amelie Mauresmo in June 2014

British world number three Andy Murray has split from coach Amelie Mauresmo after two years.

Murray, 28, said he had "learnt a lot" from Mauresmo but they had "mutually agreed" to end their partnership.

"Dedicating enough time along with the travel has been a challenge," twice Grand Slam champion Mauresmo added.

Since he began working with her in June 2014, Murray has won seven titles - including his first two on clay - but has failed to add to his two majors.

In a joint statement, Murray added: "She's been a calming influence in the team and we will all miss having her around.

"I'll take some time to consider the next steps and how we progress from here, but I'd like to thank her for everything she has done. She's been an invaluable member of the team."

Frenchwoman Mauresmo, 36, who gave birth to her first child in August 2015, added: "Working with Andy over the last two years has been a fantastic experience for me.

"I've thoroughly enjoyed being part of the great team of people he has around him. I wish him and the team well and I hope he goes on to win many more titles."

Murray - who lost his number two ranking to Roger Federer after his defeat by Novak Djokovic in the Madrid Open final on Sunday - was previously coached by former world number one Ivan Lendl, under whom he won the 2012 US Open and 2013 Wimbledon.

The Scot was the first leading male player to employ a female coach, saying at the time of the appointment: "I've always had a strong female influence in my career and that's something I needed right now."

Analysis

BBC Radio 5 live tennis correspondent Russell Fuller:

"Murray has always maintained he needs to spend 25 weeks a year with his head coach, and - even if a final decision was only taken last week - it has become apparent over the last few months that as a new mum, Mauresmo would be unable to find that time. She trained with Murray in Dubai in December, but since January's Australian Open, has only been on coaching duty in Miami.

"Murray has been unable to add to his Grand Slam tally in their two years together, but has become phenomenally consistent and something of a clay-court natural. He will miss the calmness she brought to the team, and may struggle to find someone of similar experience whom he feels as comfortable confiding in.

"Murray will, for now, work exclusively with Jamie Delgado, as he begins to sound out potential successors to Mauresmo. You would expect him to seek someone with a glittering playing or coaching CV, but that is a limited pool and he is not an easy man to second guess. Murray is always happy to buck the trend, but won't do so just for the sake of it."

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299 comments

  • Comment posted by hector300, at 13:23 9 May 2016

    True, Novak and Roger are better but Murray is the best player this country has produced in 80 years. The media was on his back but he has managed the expectation of the public and has had a brilliant career. I have nothing but admiration for a such a magnificent tennis player and all tennis fans in this country should be thankful he has been around to bring them some success. Thanks, Andy.

  • Comment posted by Armchair Bore, at 13:25 9 May 2016

    7. Boxcuty

    "Shades of Tim Henman I'm afraid, just not quite good enough."

    I think that there's a difference between Henman ,11 titles, and Murray, 35 titles (so far), including 2 Grand Slams as well as the Olympics. You can't win even 1 Grand Slam without being good enough. It's really just that Novak is better.

  • Comment posted by Ferruccio, at 13:11 9 May 2016

    Brilliant player that he is, Murray's main problem is that Djokovic is better than him.

  • Comment posted by Richard Morris, at 13:16 9 May 2016

    #4 Ferruccio
    Brilliant player that he is, Murray's main problem is that Djokovic is better than him.
    -------
    Actually, at the moment, this is every player's main problem. And as for Timbo-like 'not good enough', had Murray been around in Tim's prime, he would have many more majors than he does - winning majors in the time of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic in their prime is very hard indeed.

  • Comment posted by nozzie, at 13:54 9 May 2016

    lets put this in perspective - since Murray turned pro full time 2005/6 til now there has only been 6 times that a major hasn't been won by the top 3!! (2 of which were won by Murray)

    thats federer, nadal and djokovic have cleaned up 34 major titles between them in that time!!!

    i think Murray can be proud of his career given the dominance of the others!

  • Comment posted by Harvey, at 14:06 9 May 2016

    Underachievement?? Don't make me laugh!! When in the history of tennis have 3 players like Federer (17 grand slam wins), Nadal (14) and Djokovic (11) been around at the same time and each in their own way dominated the sport? Murray has shared his career with these and still won 2 Grand Slams the Olympics and Davis Cup.The man is a British sporting legend and deserves all the accolades he gets.

  • Comment posted by Stand Well Back This Thing Could Get Quite Big, at 13:09 9 May 2016

    "Andy Murray ends coaching relationship with Amelie Mauresmo."

    David Cameron has said that's what happens when you vote to leave the EU.

  • Comment posted by hilpertonian, at 13:44 9 May 2016

    It says something that we're in an era where we have the greatest clay court player ever, with 14 slams, yet in twenty+ years I doubt he'll barely get a mention alongside Novak and Roger.

    Andy is by any measure an exceptional player and in any other era would probably have plenty more Slams to his name. That he has won slams despite those two obscenely consistent players is great credit to him

  • Comment posted by Templar, at 13:58 9 May 2016

    24. hector300

    Indeed. This changes nothing. Murray and his family ARE British tennis.

    The Davis Cup win is one of the finest British team wins in any sport.....ever....and Andy was astonishing.

    He knew he had to win every single match he played ...and he did.

    The man is a mega star.

    It is not his fault that Djokovic is almost unplayable never mind unbeatable.

  • Comment posted by Ollie, at 13:13 9 May 2016

    He's currently playing very well, I just hope he can find someone who'll bring him up the couple of notches needed to match Djokovic in all areas. If he can do that then hopefully we'll see a few more Slams coming his way.

  • Comment posted by clever3000, at 13:18 9 May 2016

    After she had a child it was always going to make the travelling harder. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lendl coming back to coach him again.

  • Comment posted by Bosshog, at 13:29 9 May 2016

    @Boxcuty; not at all shades of Tim henman. Andy won Wimbledon by beating Djokovic remember. The fact that Djokovic has beaten everyone else proves that he is a class above every tennis player in the world. Andy is world class, otherwise he wouldn't be ranked, simple.. He is striving to find a coach to take him one step more. Easier said than done just like football managers. Man Utd/city, for eg

  • Comment posted by TheGMen, at 13:11 9 May 2016

    It was always an interesting choice but it was bound to be a short-term relationship for many number of reasons.
    Too many Lendl was best for Andy as he seemed to toughen him up mentally, an issue which has dogged Andy at critical times.

  • Comment posted by monsieurhulot, at 21:11 9 May 2016

    Murray needs a top quality MALE coach i.e. one who has played at the highest level on the MEN'S tour. The very best that Andy's £millions can afford.

    But he also needs a psychologist to cut out all the negativity.

    John Lloyd and the other pundits say there is little difference in tennis ability between the top 4. It's between the ears where Murray is inferior. And his opponents know that

  • Comment posted by Marky, at 19:21 9 May 2016

    I wasn't a fan of Murray but he has certainly won my respect over the years not least for his support for the Davis Cup. It would've been easy for him to skip that and focus on his singles career but he pitched in for Team GB helping them win the Davis Cup. Oh - and I seem to recall an Olympic gold medal and a Wimbledon singles title amongst other achievements as well as a good choice in Mauresmo.

  • Comment posted by Space Unicorn of News, at 13:16 9 May 2016

    Murrays clay court game has definitely improved over the last couple of years but he needs to find someone who can help him to come up with a new plan on how to beat Djokovic.

  • Comment posted by Excuse Me Please, at 19:10 9 May 2016

    I was chuffed when I made the football first team at school. To be 2nd out of 7.5 billion people is I think pretty good going!!!

  • Comment posted by U14804213, at 14:36 9 May 2016

    89 et al. Pretty much fed up with the constant bitching about the BBC which appears whatever the subject matter, as if the Beeb is responsible for all the worlds ills. Move to another country and checkout their standards of reporting, You'll be back with your tail between your legs. The BBC is like the NHS and our Schools, they need supporting not the constant bickering from the right and left.

  • Comment posted by Npd McNpd, at 13:50 9 May 2016

    Not sure why people are over-complicating this and also Lendl’s departure. The quote from Mauresmo “Dedicating enough time along with the travel has been a challenge” seems to say it all. Hardly surprising with a young child. A pity Murray could not have won a major with her, though, just to quieten the misogynist output.

  • Comment posted by BTS, at 13:17 9 May 2016

    Andy is very unfortunate to have come up against the eras of Djokovic and Federer, the best two players in history - to such an extent that Rafa Nadal is a mere footnote.

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