Andy Murray Will Play Open Without A Coach

Western & Southern Financial Group Masters ATP - Official Site - Order of Play - Singles Draw - Doubles Draw - Qualifiers Draw - Live Scores

Roger's Cup WTA - Official Site - Order of Play - Singles Draw - Doubles Draw - Qualifiers Draw - Live Scores

By Richard Pagliaro
© Natasha Peterson/Corleve

(August 18, 2010) Toronto champion Andy Murray will fly coachless to New York next week. Murray, who swept World No. 1 Rafael Nadal and third-ranked Roger Federer in straight-sets succession to successfully defend his Rogers Cup crown on Sunday, said he will play the US Open without a coach and will not make a rush decision on a replacement for former coach Miles Maclagan.

"I won't have a coach at the US Open. After that I'll have a break to sit down and think about it," Murray told the media in Cincinnati on Tuesday. "I don't want to rush into choosing anyone. It's a big decision. You spend a lot of time with a coach and you want that relationship to last as long as possible. I need to think long and hard."



Formulating his match tactics and practice routine without a coach has been liberating for Murray, who says he has found "freedom" in making his own decisions.

"I feel a lot of freedom," Murray said Tuesday. "I've only been a few weeks on my own. But I played some of my best tennis last week, I don't know if it's from not having a coach or not. But I know I've improved since Wimbledon."

In two tournaments since he lost to Nadal in the Wimbledon semifinals, Murray has posted an 8-1 record, holding a match point in the Los Angeles final before bowing to Sam Querrey, 7-5, 6-7(2), 3-6, and winning Toronto to become the first man to claim consecutive Canadian championships since Andre Agassi in 1994-1995.

It was Murray's first title since he he beat Mikhail Youzhny to win Valencia 10 months ago.

Murray's former coach, ESPN analyst Brad Gilbert, said during the Toronto telecast last week he believes Murray, a contrarian by nature who likes to defy conventional wisdom, could play the rest of the season without a coach.

The 2008 US Open finalist said he's enjoying the coachless flight for now. His mother, Judy Murray, was in his box in Toronto and has served as a surrogate coach and sounding board for her son.

"In some ways it's nice not to have a coach for a while. I have more responsibility to figure out a few things by myself on court," Murray said. "But there is a lot more freedom in some ways. After having a coach for two or three years, it's nice to be on your own."

The former US Open junior champion has long said the US Open is his favorite tournament and the major he believes he has the best shot of winning. Hall of Famer Bjorn Borg believes Murray is on the verge of a major breakthrough.

"I think Murray has a great approach to the tennis; he really wants to be the best," Borg said. "He’s still very young too but I like the way he plays, he’s very unpredictable and as an opponent you never know how his game is going to be. He can play soft shots, hard shots, and he can play on all kinds of surfaces; he’s definitely going to be a contender for the Grand Slam tournaments."

Murray, the 2008 Cincinnati champion, lost to Federer in the tournament semifinals last year. He opens his Western & Southern Financial Group Masters play today taking on 58th-ranked Frenchman Jeremy Chardy. Murray beat Chardy, 6-4, 6-2, in their lone prior meeting at the Rogers Cup last summer.