ANDY MURRAY should keep the faith with new coach Amelie Mauresmo, according to Tim Henman.
Mauresmo said she would leave thoughts on the future of the fledgling relationship until after Wimbledon, having originally only signed on to join Team Murray for the grass court season.
Murray admitted major improvements were needed in his game following his quarter-final defeat at the All England Club and won’t play again until the Rogers Cup in Toronto at the start of next month.
John McEnroe claims he should reforge his relationship with Ivan Lendl, who stepped down as Murray’s coach earlier this year after what was becoming an increasingly long distance relationship.
Lendl guided Murray to Grand Slam victories at the US Open and All England Club and Olympic gold at London 2012 and claimed he couldn’t commit the time to do the job properly, a decision that left the Scot wounded.
But Henman believes the fledgling relationship between Mauresmo and Henman is showing signs of promise despite the disappointment of this week’s title defence.
“It was an interesting choice and the timing was always going to be tough, coming in just a few weeks before Andy defended the Wimbledon title in the biggest two weeks of his year,” he said.
“It’s hard building a relationship when the eyes of the whole world are focussed on you. Every practice session here at Wimbledon has cameras and photographers, I’m sure that wouldn’t have made it easy.”
Henman only had three coaches during his career, with David Felgate guiding him from promising teenager to the world’s top ten and Wimbledon semifinals.
In contrast, Murray has been through six in nine years – with Lendl his longest serving at just three seasons.
And bookmakers, the self-appointed barometers of sport in form, claim the former women’s Wimbledon winner is now heavily odds-on to be dropped before the Australian Open next January.
“At this stage in your career continuity is really important,” added Henman.
“I think they should stick together for a good while now. Chopping and changing will not work in the long-run.
“Andy will reflect on this and he’s not done at Wimbledon yet – he’ll have many opportunities in the future.”
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