Share

Murray defends Mauresmo

Manila - Andy Murray has defended coach Amelie Mauresmo after former British number one Tim Henman said the Scot had not been "playing the right way" recently, questioning the partnership.

Henman claimed earlier this month that double Grand Slam winner Murray, who has slipped to sixth in the world rankings, was letting his opponents dictate matches and needed to play more offensively.

"(It's) certainly not true, her telling me to play defensively, so I don't agree with that," former world number two Murray told reporters in Manila.

The 2013 Wimbledon winner was in the Philippine capital to play in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), a faster-paced, television-friendly format of the sport,

He said Mauresmo always tells him to play "aggressively".

"That's the sort of mindset and style that I want to play," the 27-year-old added.

Murray in June turned to former female world number one Mauresmo, like him a Wimbledon champion, after predecessor Ivan Lendl brought an end to their hugely successful association.

The results have been less than spectacular, a fact Murray doesn't dispute -- although he insists it is too early to judge Mauresmo's impact.

"Sometimes this year it hasn't been possible, but you know we've only spent six or seven weeks together since Wimbledon," Murray said of Mauresmo.

"Yes, there was a few periods of the year where I played a couple of bad matches, where my level dropped and I wasn't expecting it."

"It wasn't my best season but it got better as the year went on," Murray said, adding he played "solid" at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.

After Murray was whitewashed by Roger Federer at the ATP Tour Finals, Henman said his friend had to be "proactive" and "more offensive" on court.

"I haven't seen them (Murray and Mauresmo) practise but, to me, I don't think he has been playing the right way," Henman said.

But Murray insisted his game was on the right track.

"The next sort of five, six weeks in the off-season and the buildup to the Australian Open I'll get to practise some things and work on some stuff," he said.

"Next year, hopefully, my consistency will be a little better."

In the IPTL Murray is playing for the Manila Mavericks team alongside women's world number two Maria Sharapova.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
32% - 1843 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1810 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1100 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 470 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 193 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 261 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE