Now that’s it: Alexander Zverev brought Ivan Lendl to his team of coaches just before the US Open.
When Alexander Zverev was approached last week in Cincinnati about Ivan Lendl, he was full of praise for the former world star. Lendl is someone who “knows how to win at every level of this sport,” Zverev explained generously, “he is definitely one who can help you properly. However, there are currently no plans for a change of coach, says Zverev, “but I think that Ivan can be a help in the future.
Now the future is already here. In the here and now, right before the US Open. On Wednesday evening, Zverev launched a new group photo of his care team via the Internet portal “Instagram”, which featured the usual and well-known suspects – father Alexander Zverev, physiotherapist Hugo Gavril and fitness coach Jez Green – as well as an exceptionally discreetly smiling Ivan Lendl.
“Welcome to the team” was the short message under the picture taken in front of the world’s biggest tennis arena – the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadow, where the US Open takes place, the first test for Zverev and his new, famous mentor will take place next Monday at the last Grand Slam spectacle of the season.
“Sasha has unique skills and a great work ethic. I am happy to help him achieve his goals,” said Lendl in an initial statement that he had spread through his long-time agent Jerry Salomon.
Zverev and Lendl – this alliance comes after months of speculation theatre at the World Tennis Transfer Exchange, after discreet training sessions of the exceptional German talent with the former Grand Master already in Florida.
Lendl fits into the requirement profile that applies to the complicated character Zverev, for a highly gifted person who often still has difficulties using his talents profitably on the very biggest stages. And which, despite all the professionalism in the training work, often makes the possible in top matches impossible through its own lack of discipline on the Centre Courts.
Lendl’s task is reminiscent of his first big job as a tennis coach – with a certain Andy Murray. The bearish-sized American with Czech roots got rid of the sometimes self-destructive attitude of the British superstar in top duels, the eternal lamentation, the effervescent, hot-headed tirades. At Lendl’s side, Murray became Grand Slam Champion and in 2013, the Scotsman also finished the eternal domestic title drought at Wimbledon, 77 years after Fred Perry’s last victory in the Grand Slam Shrine.
How exactly Lendl’s job is defined is not yet clear after the end of weeks of secrecy and the occasionally silly hide-and-seek. The 58-year-old world star, often referred to in the 1980s as “Ivan the Terrible”, will probably enrich the Zverev team as an additional force, not as a replacement for coach father Alexander.
Lendl had retired from professional tennis after two appearances with Murray and in the meantime also refused requests from top players, including an offer from Czech ace Tomas Berdych. The driving force behind Lendel’s commitment is probably Zverev’s manager Patricio Apey – especially after the difficult summer weeks of his client, the Chilean may have seen an acute need for action.
Zverev had set himself up with referees and line judges in Wimbledon and recently unintentionally caused a stir and shook his head with a tirade after the lost Canada Master’s final. The final was “pathetic,” Zverev said, even Tsitsipa’s winner “did not play well.
So far Zverev had no real corrective in his own tennis company, no one who told him that he was violating one or the other industry etiquette – not even Father Alexander. Such tolerance or tolerance is not known of Lendl. The often so grumpy looking anti-star, publicly embarrassed about every word, prefers to speak plain language internally. Also or just, wenn´s hurts. Zverev will have to get used to it if he wants to make progress.
Progress – in his case: Better results at the Grand Slams. Better match management, better than at the Majors when he wasted unnecessary energy in the opening rounds. And just better self-control, concentration on the essential.
The Spanish Juan Carlos Ferrero had failed with this mission at Zverev, and in spring the separation papers were handed over to him. A small to medium mud fight followed, Ferrero called out to the young German that he had no longer wanted to listen to him, he had also often lacked the correct contact. Was it an acceptance problem because Ferrero wasn’t one of the big names – among the super coaches who once dominated the scene, with Edberg at Federer, with Becker at Djokovic, with Lendl also at Murray? The assumption is not entirely erroneous.
Now that the era of the great alumni almost seemed to be over for the stars of today, Lendl returns to work once again. It’s a risky experiment. For the man who once brought a new professional ethic into his sport, as a hard, relentless hard worker three decades ago. And for Zverev. A failure with Lendl, a crushing failure even, it would be interpreted above all as defeat. And as a hopeless sign for his entire career.