Gilbert admits tensions with Murray

Published on Thursday 28 August 2008 22:51

ANDY Murray's former coach has admitted there were tensions in his relationship with the British No1, but has backed his former charge to achieve "great things."

The Lawn Tennis Association employed American Brad Gilbert – whose previous proteges included Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick – to take the Scot to the next level, but Murray eventually made the decision to dispense with his services before the end of the LTA contract.

Gilbert, who ended up working with Alex Bogdanovic until the expiration of the deal, admitted there were flashpoints with Murray, 21, but for most of the time the pair had a happy working relationship.

"The day before I started coaching Murray, I didn't know him at all," said Gilbert. "There was a big age difference and a culture difference – it was the first time I had coached a non-American. Andy is very argumentative if he feels strongly about something. A lot of people in his team gave into him. I didn't so we would argue, about sports mostly. He lives a quiet, relaxed life, focused on being a tennis player but he is obsessed with video games. I don't play video games."

But despite conceding the problems which existed in his dealings, Gilbert has enjoyed Murray's surge into the top six of the world rankings and believes he has the ability to become a first-class player.

"People expect me to be bitter but I'm not. Look around and you'll see how many coaches get fired. We still speak.

"He is now doing a lot of things I was asking him to do, like being much more aggressive and stop hitting so many damn drop shots.

"If he plays more like that then great things are going to happen to him because he has great talent."

Meanwhile, Murray was clawed back to 1-1 by Michael Llodra in the second round of the US Open in New York last night. The Scot had claimed the opening set 6-4, but the Frenchman took the second 6-1.

Llodra, the world No38, had started strongly, winning the opening game on serve to love while Murray was less fluent in his service opener.

He was certainly more comfortable in the next game as Llodra's attempted drop shots twice found the net and the Scot forced an early break of serve.

Murray, who had won their only previous meeting on an indoor court in Metz last year, still did not have his first service firing on all cylinders but held to take a 3-1 lead.

At 5-4, though, Murray's first service was fizzing and the sixth seed wasted little time in wrapping up the opening set 6-4 in 27 minutes.

Murray, who had eased into the second round with a comfortable straight sets win over Argentina's Sergio Roitman on Monday, quickly came under pressure in the second set, offering up three break-points in the second game.

The Frenchman needed only one of them as his rival sent a forehand into the tramlines and Llodra moved into a 2-0 lead.

The Scot finally got on the board at 3-1 but his next service game started ominously with a double fault and Murray was soon facing a double break- point.

Again, Llodra needed no second chance, send Murray scurrying back and forth along the baseline before winning the point to power into a 5-1 lead.

Llodra also had no trouble winning his next game and the set, though Murray battled back to take the third 7-5.

Elsewhere, world No8 Andy Roddick produced a serving masterclass to begin his quest for a second US Open title with a comfortable 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 straight-sets victory over Fabrice Santoro.

Roddick, who claimed his only Grand Slam victory in the US Open hardcourt in 2003, has struggled in the major championships this year after falling out of the Australian Open in the third round, Wimbledon in the second, while he did not participate in the French Open.

He endured an injury-plagued start to 2008 campaign and missed various events with back spasms, an inflamed shoulder and a stiff neck and he opted not to participate in the Olympic Games to warm-up for the US Open by playing at Los Angeles and Washington.

But the American, a winner in San Jose and Dubai this year, had little trouble against Santoro as he raced through the first set in 25 minutes after breaking the Frenchman in the opening game.

He used his blistering serve to record 15 aces – including one serve which topped out at 140 miles per hour, while he lost just four points on his first serve en route to dispatching his 35-year-old Spanish opponent in 76 minutes.

"I served real well, and that's going to be key at this tournament," Roddick said.