Australian Open: Andy Murray looks for key to grand slam success in Ivan Lendl’s legacy

But he hopes that this year the familiar old venue will represent new territory for him, and that he can at last claim his first grand slam title – at the first time of asking with Ivan Lendl as his coach.

The 24-year-old Scot, whose first opponent is Ryan Harrison of the United States, has reached the final here in the past two years. He has got to the final of the US Open too – and on all three occasions has ended up on the losing side.

Murray knows that on his day he is good enough to defeat Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the three men above him in the rankings. But he also knows that if that day is to come in a grand slam final, he has to do something different this year. And Lendl, he hopes, will bring him that something different.

The appointment of the 51-year-old is certainly a departure for the world No 4. He has worked with world-class coaches such as Brad Gilbert before, but has never been able to tap into the experience of a coach who knows first-hand what it takes to win one of the four majors.

At times it even seemed as if Murray simply did not want to go down that route, insisting that he would do things his way. The single-mindedness was understandable, as he had made so much progress in tennis thanks to his own innate tactical ability.

But, while his intuitive grasp of how to win a game has been invaluable, it has not been enough to give him the grand slam title he covets. He has accepted that something different is required – something different, but also complementary to his strengths.

The key lies in Lendl’s own history, and what he did to alter it. The Czech (now a US citizen) lost his first four grand slam titles, and then at last prevailed at the fifth attempt in 1984, clawing his way back from two sets down to beat John McEnroe at Roland Garros.

Lendl’s talent, like Murray’s, was beyond question. But it was only once he had combined that with a fearsome work ethic and a meticulous attention to detail that he made the breakthrough. Murray has always been willing to do whatever it takes to succeed, and he hopes that Lendl will now be able to tell him the precise requirements.

The coach was renowned as one of the most diligent players on tour in the 1980s, an approach which helped him win eight majors at the conclusion of a career in which he topped the rankings for 270 weeks. That record and reputation led Murray to make the surprise appointment at the turn of the year, and he has already been struck by Lendl’s application.

“He is a very hard worker,” Murray said. “I like hard work as well. I think he’s liked that so far in the time we’ve spent together.

“The last couple of years especially, my attention to detail has got much, much better. I was very young when he played, but he’s obviously had a great attitude towards trying to improve. He tried many new things and he was always in great shape. He’s definitely going to help with that side of things as well.”

Murray was born in 1987 when Lendl was at the peak of his powers, but he has taken to the internet to watch videos of his new mentor. “I have watched him since I’ve got older and started to understand the history of tennis a little bit better,” he added. “I’ve seen some of his matches, re-runs, bits and pieces on YouTube.”

It may have proved a useful introduction for Murray as he admits he knew little of Lendl before they started working together. “I’d spoken to him once or twice about four or five years ago when I was working with Brad Gilbert, when I trained at [Nick] Bollettieri’s. He came and watched a couple of my practices,” he said. “I chatted to him a couple of times then, but nothing after that at all. I didn’t really know him”

Although he has enjoyed great success here, and some painful losses – he failed to win a set in his final defeats by Federer and Djokovic – the British No 1 is not one for dwelling on the past. “I have been coming here for six or seven years now and really enjoy playing here,” he said.

“But I don’t normally think too much in the past and always try to concentrate on what’s in front of me, what I am trying to achieve this year. I like the conditions here. It’s a good surface for me.” Of course, even if Murray does make a significant improvement this year thanks to Lendl, he will not be doing so in a vacuum. Men’s tennis is becoming more competitive all the time, and Djokovic in particular set astonishingly high standards last year. The Serb remains the man to beat despite his form dropping off a little towards the end of 2011, largely due to fatigue.

Those two are seeded to meet in one semi-final, with Nadal and Federer due to play in the other. Before then, though, Murray could face a perilous quarter-final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who beat him in the first round here four years ago.

So nothing is getting easier, and no-one is standing still. But Murray is the one with a key new weapon in his armoury in the shape of Lendl, and he trusts it will make the difference he has sought for so long.