Darren Cahill can rescue Andy Murray's game, insists Caroline Wozniacki

Darren Cahill can rescue Andy Murray's game, insists Caroline Wozniacki

Andy Murray goes into his first match of the clay-court season on Wednesday at the Monte Carlo Masters attempting to end his run of four consecutive defeats since the Australian Open with plans for a new coach still hanging in the balance.

Favoured coach: Darren Cahill can offer Andy Murray only part-time help  Photo: GETTY IMAGES

By Mark Hodgkinson, in Monte Carlo 8:14PM BST 12 Apr 2011

Murray, who faces an awkward second-round match against Czech Radek Stepanek, has been in limbo since parting with his part-time consultant Alex Corretja last month but could tie up with his favoured coach, Darren Cahill.

This short-term solution to Murray’s coaching problem lies in the concierge service made available by one of his sponsors, according to Caroline Wozniacki, whose elevation to No 1 in the women’s rankings is down to the consultants available for anyone endorsing Adidas clothes.

Murray plans to make use of the tactical and technical expertise of Cahill and his Adidas colleague Sven Groeneveld next month when he plays on the clay of Madrid and Rome and during the week before the French Open. He has not had either with him at the Monte Carlo Country Club and they will not be at next week’s tournament at the Real Club de Barcelona.

If Murray, who has not won a set since January, does not find a permanent coach before the grass-court swing, Cahill and Groeneveld could help him prime his game for Wimbledon this year.

Wozniacki, who lives in Monaco, predicted that Cahill and Groeneveld could make adjustments to Murray’s game which would have a significant effect on his performances.

However, since the consultants are there for anyone who wears Adidas clothes, their plans cannot centre around Murray, and it was never imagined that Cahill, an Australian who once coached Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt, or Groeneveld, a Dutchman who has worked with Greg Rusedski, Michael Stich and Monica Seles, would pop up on the Côte d’Azur to assist the Scot.

But Wozniacki spoke highly of the pair’s positive outlook, which could prove useful if Murray’s slump continues here and in Barcelona and he starts to turn in on himself.

“They’re going to try to give him a few inputs that maybe can make a big difference in his game,” said Wozniacki, who recently had a productive 'hit’ with Murray in Miami.

“Darren and Sven have been on the tour for a long time so they have the experience. They have to get to know the player a little bit first. For me, Darren is great. He’s a very positive person, and he can help especially with the serve and the volleys, as he was good with that himself. He is very good at helping with both technique and with tactics.”

One executive at Adidas said that, because Cahill and Groeneveld are provided free, they are more likely to offer “un-sugar-coated opinions”.

Murray’s admiration for Cahill is well known. Shortly after the Scot ditched his full-time coach, Miles Maclagan last summer, Cahill felt compelled to announce that he could not travel with the world No 4 permanently because of his young family, his commitment to Adidas, and his work as a television commentator.

So there is little chance of Murray, who is hoping to employ someone for 30 weeks a year, appointing Cahill as his full-time coach. One reason why he last month ended his three-year association with his Corretja was that the Spaniard was not around enough.

However, if Murray were to play someone who endorses the company he could not turn to Cahill and Groeneveld and they would not be allowed to watch from his guest-box.

“If I have had help from the Adidas team and suddenly they are gone and the box is empty, it’s something different, but it’s something you know from the start,” said Wozniacki, who dropped into the Country Club here this week to play an exhibition match with Italian Francesca ­Schiavone and to announce that she has added Compeed plasters to her list of sponsors.
Telegraph.feedsportal.com