For Murray Lendl Impact Evident

Andy Murray believes new coach Ivan Lendl has improved his game already.

The British number one appointed Lendl, the winner of eight Grand Slam titles, in December.

Murray reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open before losing a five-set thriller to Novak Djokovic, but says Lendl has made a difference.

"I spent five days with him before the Australian Open and I feel like I improved just in those days," Murray told the BBC.

"I'll go and spend a lot more time with him and work harder, and that's really all that you can do."

World number four Murray has 22 ATP titles to his name but has yet to win a Grand Slam after losing three finals.

The Scot could benefit from the experience of Lendl, 51, who lost his first four Grand Slam finals.

But Murray, 24, admitted that he is inspired by Djokovic, who dominated 2011, losing just six matches all year.

"The turnaround was incredible and he was struggling at the end of the year before," Murray said.

"That's the thing. It is small margins of one break or one match and it doesn't have to be in a Slam - it could be any time.

"Sometimes things can just click and you can make big improvements, and I feel like I made a big improvement in Australia."

Murray has played in an era dominated by what many regard as three of the greatest players of all time in Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.

He added: "Everything that's happened in the past, you would say Federer and Nadal are the greatest players ever and Djokovic, the last year, had probably the greatest year ever.

"This year's a new year; it's irrelevant what's happened in the past.

"I'm not saying I'm going to win 16 Grand Slams, but if I can get a few then you can be remembered in the same breath as those guys - you had those great matches; you won Slams in the same time as them."

Ivan Lendl factfile

Born March, 1960 in Ostrava, Czech Republic

Won first professional title in 1980 in Houston

Reached 19 Grand Slam finals, winning eight

Won US Open three years in a row from 1985 to 1987

Won £13.7m in prize money, ranking eighth in all-time men's earners

Murray on Ivan Lendl

Roche Reckons Lendl Right Choice

Andy Murray's new coach Ivan Lendl is a grossly misunderstood character who will break the mould of great players being pitiful coaches, the Czech-born eight-time major winner's former mentor Tony Roche has said.

"I've got to say it's a really good move from Andy, an especially good move," Roche said, when asked about the man hired to orchestrate the world No 4's tilt at a breakthrough major championship this year.

"Anyone who knows Ivan will tell you how much he's going to bring to the table for Andy. Few people in our sport have ever trained as hard as Ivan or been as professional," Roche added.

"All the things his career was based on, like working hard and being meticulous with preparation and execution and that ability he had to concentrate on what was in front of him for hours on end, will rub off on Andy."

Roche firmly believes Lendl's work ethic will have nothing but a positive effect on the talented Scot.

"Ivan was always looking for the edge, even in the smallest ways, and now he'll be doing it on Andy's behalf. Whether it was the way he trained, tinkering with his equipment, getting his diet right," the 66-year-old Australian added.

"I mean, Ivan and Martina Navratilova were the two players in the 1980s who took the game to another level in terms of professionalism. He's always been one of the great students of the game so I'm pretty sure Andy has struck a bit of gold here."

Roche spent eight years with Lendl, who became a U.S. citizen in 1992, before guiding the careers of three other world number ones in Pat Rafter, Roger Federer and his current charge Lleyton Hewitt.

The man from Wagga Wagga said Lendl's real persona was far removed from his image of being some sort of emotionless machine and his return to the spotlight after keeping a low profile since his retirement in 1994 was great news for tennis.

"Ivan is back in tennis and that is fantastic for our sport," Roche said.

"I mean, he was just a giant of the game. He didn't want anything to do with it for 15 years. I'm happy he's back for Andy's sake and also our sport's.

"People have always had the wrong impression of him. First of all, he's a very intelligent guy, very smart about tennis but just very intelligent in general.

"He's a fun guy, you know, great company, someone who was completely different to the person you saw on the court. That was his office between those lines and he went out there with a job to do.

"No-one could knock his record as a player but I don't think the media ever really wanted to get to know the other side of him."

A common theme in tennis is that great players have not gone on to be as comparably successful as a coach.

Jimmy Connors' brief run with fellow American Andy Roddick had its moments but the most successful mentors of the modern era have been the journeymen players such Brad Gilbert and Darren Cahill.

Roche himself only won one singles major, the 1966 French Open.

"There is that trend but I've got no doubt Ivan will be a superb and successful coach," Roche said.

"Being the student of the game that he is, being such a switched-on and motivated guy, the way he worked on his game as a player, the way he prepared himself, all of that knowledge and experience is in Andy's corner now.

"That's not to say Andy hasn't been working his backside off already and putting in the hard yards but I think Ivan is going to add another dimension."

Murray has suffered the frustration of losing all three of the major finals he has contested in an era dominated by three of the greatest players of all time: Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Lendl lost his first four grand slam finals before going on to win eight major titles and hold the world number one ranking for 270 weeks.

He and Murray's first campaign together will be at the Australian Open in Melbourne from January 16.