Now we'll see how much Ivan Lendl really taught Andy Murray.
As Murray continues to fight his way back from back surgery in September that wiped out all the momentum the two had built in two years that Lendl served as Murray's coach, the news of their agreement to part ways is another hurdle in Murray's path this year.
Though multiple media outlets reported that the decision was mutual, it was Lendl's unwillingness to continue making Murray his No. 1 priority that led to the split, telegraph.co.uk reported.
"That night it was tough," Murray told the Telegraph. "He was a big part of my life. And the next couple of days on the court were not particularly fun. I was gutted. but I still think the guy is great. It's not like anything has changed there.
"We both agreed it was a nice conversation over dinner. He is going to come and watch my matches here. I will be disappointed for a few weeks but you have to move on. Who knows, maybe it is the spark that I need."
Murray hasn't won since his historic victory at Wimbledon last summer. Just when it seemed he was going to replace Roger Federer as the third wheel in the Rafael Nadal-Novak Djokovic rivalry, he had back surgery and has struggled to regain his form.
Murray admitted to the Telegraph that his play this year "has been patchy," which is ironic because it was Lendl who built Murray's mental strength to match his physical ability that helped him win an Olympic gold medal in 2012, the 2012 U.S. Open and last year's Wimbledon.
The Telegraph added, however, that Lendl traveled with Murray to 25 events in 2012. Lendl only attended 20 events with Murray, but some of that may have been due to Murray's surgery that ended his 2013 season prematurely.
But Lendl had planned to attend fewer Murray events in 2014 as he had an interest in playing more matches himself on the senior tour.
"Working with Andy over the last two years has been a fantastic experience for me," Lendl said, as reported by tennis.si.com. "He is a first-class guy. Having helped him achieve his goal of winning major titles, I feel like it is time for me to concentrate on some of my own projects, including playing more events around the world, which I am really enjoying. I will always be in Andy's corner and wish him nothing but great success as he too goes into a new phase of his career."
Murray now must find that mental fortitude from a source other than Lendl. And now, Murray, who is the defending champion at the Sony Open, also must deal with Lendl's departure. He was shaky in his first match against Matthew Ebden before winning in three sets.
"Maybe thinking about these kind of things for a couple of months, that can throw you off a little," Murray said. "I don't know what vibe I was giving off. It's not like you're thinking about it when you're preparing to serve. But at the back of your head, there might be something going on. Now I need to move on and find something different."
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