Rob McLean - Welcome return for Lendl
He may be 50, with a slight paunch and hasn't played for 16 years, but the sight of Ivan Lendl on the other side of the court again will be enough to bring a generation of players out in a rash.
The former world No 1 is returning to the tour - the seniors tour that is - proving that the tennis bug never really goes away however old you get.
Since leaving the stage in 1994, the Czech born American has concentrated on golf and even managed to compete in some of the minor events.
Lendl had one of the great careers without getting the credit he deserved. Old 'stone face' was deemed to be devoid of personality and rarely, if at all, smiled on court - certainly not when he was up against his two main rivals in his career, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, with whom he didn't have the best of relationships.
Lendl won eight Grand Slams but had to wait a long time for the first. He lost his first four finals - take note Andy Murray - before finally breaking his duck at the French Open in 1984 and in the process denying McEnroe the one other slam he craved.
McEnroe has often admitted that that was the worst loss of his career and he has nightmares about it every time he returns to Paris. McEnroe lost from two sets up. For Lendl it was his epiphany and from there the floodgates opened.
US hope
To be honest, Sam Querrey hadn't really registered on my radar until he won at Queen's but his latest title, in Los Angeles, denying Murray from match point down, will give some hope to Americans that a home player can make an impact at the US Open. John 'longest match' Isner could also be a threat.
Motormouth Brad Gilbert piped up almost immediately on Twitter after Querrey's win over Murray. ''What a day for Sam Querrey! As he repeats in his home tourney, easily the biggest win of his career. Now he needs to step up in a big tourney.''
Murray still out on his own
Whether Gilbert's enthusiasm was a veiled dig at Murray, who he used to coach, is unknown. Gilbert, of course, is unlikely to be asked to take on the role again. So the Murray solo show goes on to Toronto without any sign of a new coach following Darren Cahill's rejection of the job. So who might eventually get the job is anyone's guess.
Tony Roche, former coach to Lendl, has been mentioned but he is now in his 60s and probably wouldn't relish the travelling. And the latest name in the frame is Todd Martin.
Martin is a former top 10 player, but best remembered for his choke in the Wimbledon semi-finals against Malivai Washington. If nothing else they could swap stories about the days they bottled it.
And finally a newspaper columnist cheekily suggested Gordon Brown is the man for job. Well, he used to play tennis, he's Scottish and he is out of work.
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Date published :
04 Aug 2010 - 17:22:02
