Wimbledon champion Andy Murray has appointed Amelie Mauresmo as his new coach.
The Scot split with former coach Ivan Lendl in March after a successful two-year partnership which saw Murray win the US Open in 2012 and triumph at SW19 last summer.
Murray’s management announced in a statement that Mauresmo will initially team up with Murray for this summer’s grass court season. The Frenchwoman had been heavily linked with the post after she watched his first-round victory over Andrey Golubev at the French Open.
“Andy Murray has appointed French coach and former world number one, Amelie Mauresmo, as his new coach, initially for the grass court season,” read the statement.
Female coaches are relatively rare in professional tennis as a whole but certainly on the men’s tour.
Mauresmo is one of the few women to have coached a man they were not related to after helping Michael Llodra during the grass court season in 2010.
“I’m excited by the possibilities of the new partnership and Amelie is someone I have always looked up to and admired,” said Murray.
“She’s faced adversity plenty of times in her career, but was an amazing player and won major titles, including Wimbledon.
“I have a very strong coaching team already in place, but I think Amelie brings with her experience and tactical expertise and will push us all to improve.
“Everyone I know talks very highly of Amelie, as a person and coach, and I’m convinced that her joining the team will help us push on – I want to win more Grand Slams.”
Mauresmo, who is the current France Fed Cup captain, won the Australian Open as well as Wimbledon during her playing career and has also worked with Victoria Azarenka and coached Marion Bartoli to her Wimbledon victory last summer.
Murray was comprehensively beaten by Rafael Nadal in the French Open semi-finals on Friday and will now turn his attention to the grass court season, playing in the Aegon Championships at Queen's before his Wimbledon defence begins on June 23rd.
The 27-year-old has won his past two tournaments at the All England Club with last year’s Championship win adding to his Olympic gold in 2012 and Mauresmo is already targeting more grand slams.
“I’m really excited to be able to work with Andy,” she said.
“He’s an amazingly talented tennis player and I feel I have plenty to offer both him and the team around him.
“I’m looking forward to getting down to work and helping him win more Grand Slams.”
