ABU DHABI: Former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek, a one-time vehement critic of women’s tennis, believes Andy Murray can win a grand slam next year under his female coach Amelie Mauresmo.
Speaking to Gulf News in Abu Dhabi, where he will be playing in a new exhibition event next year, the Dutchman also said he would consider joining the growing trend of former players becoming coaches to top stars.
Britain’s leading player Murray started this bandwagon rolling when he hired eight-time grand slam champion Ivan Lendl as his mentor in December 2011, a move followed by world number one Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, among others, in their appointment of former greats in the past year.
But Murray parted ways with Lendl in March and joined forces with two-time grand slam winner Mauresmo in a left-field move that Krajicek believes will pay off handsomely in 2015.
The Dutchman, who famously derided female tennis players as “lazy and fat” in 1992, when asked whether they deserved equal prize money to men, said: “That was not a very good remark from me. But I think Mauresmo is a very good choice for Andy and now slowly the partnership is starting to work. And I think he’s going to win a grand slam next year.”
Krajicek, who won his only major title at Wimbledon in 1996, said he could not comment on the recent criticism from Rafael Nadal’s uncle and coach Toni about Spain appointing its first ever Davis Cup coach in Gala Leon Garcia.
“I don’t really know her, so I can’t really judge,” he said.
But the Dutchman, who will be taking part in the ‘Tennis at the Palace’ exhibition event alongside former players such as Pat Cash at Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi between March 12 and 14, went on to extol the virtues of women advising men’s players.
“I think it’s a good trend,” the 42-year-old said. “The only challenge there is for women’s coaches is that when there is a rain delay during the match, the player stays in the locker room and the coach usually comes and talks to the player. But a female coach can’t go in the men’s locker room and that’s the only challenge I see.
“But, as they say, more women in the boardroom is better. A female coach gives a different way of thinking, which can help a player.”
Krajicek added that, in years to come, he may also opt to join the coaching brigade — although he currently enjoys spending time with his family and having intermittent involvement with tennis through work such as being the tournament director of an event in his home city of Rotterdam.
“I don’t know if I could coach someone like Djokovic,” he said. “He needs someone who was extremely good, I think. I’ve been thinking about it [becoming a coach] for the last six or seven years.
“But I want to wait until my kids are not living at home. To be a coach, you have to travel 30 weeks [of the year] at least, I think. My son is 14 and my daughter is 16, so in four years maybe I’ll do it. I’m going to help with the Dutch federation and start playing more with the young kids.
“But, for the moment, I am a tournament director, as I can travel maybe 10 days or 15 days a year and the rest of the time I can be at home. I want to enjoy my time with my kids and I also want to give something back to them. As a parent you want to educate them and teach them the right way for the world.”
Another player set to grace the Abu Dhabi event next year, Morocco’s Younes Al Aynaoui, is also interested in lending a hand to current players.
Al Aynaoui, a five-time winner on the ATP men’s tour and 2002 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships runner-up, told Gulf News: “I’d love to help some players on the tour to give them my experience. There are very few players making good money in the whole world who can afford to have some private coach. You’re talking about the top 50 or top 60 players in the world.
“But it’s really great to see Michael Chang, Goran Ivanisevic, Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker becoming coaches. And if any player needs my help, I’m ready.”
