Berlin: Germany’s Alexander Zverev has boosted his coaching team ahead of the US Open by adding former Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl to his staff. 

“Welcome to the team Ivan Lendl,” the 21-year-old Zverev posted on Instagram, along with a picture of Lendl and his team. 

Zverev, ranked fourth in the world, is eager to improve on his poor record at the US Open, which starts on Monday, having never made it past the second round at Flushing Meadows. 

His best performance at a Grand Slam event was when he lost in the quarter finals at the French Open in May. 

He had worked with former world No.1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, but split with the Spaniard after a bust up following the Australian Open in January. 

Zverev gave no details of what role Lendl will play, but the 58-year-old Czech legend, an eight-time Grand Slam winner, has a wealth of experience having coached former world No.1 Andy Murray in two separate stints. 

Working with Lendl, Murray improved his consistency and won the 2012 US Open and the 2013 Wimbledon titles, becoming the first British to win the All England club title since Fred Perry in 1936. 

Lendl’s manager Jerry Solomon posted a tweet quoting the Czech-born tennis great saying: “Sascha has a unique set of skills and a great work ethic so I am looking forward to helping him achieve his goals.” 

Ferrero, reportedly, had complained: “It was not right that he (Zverev) would arrive 20 or 30 minutes late to training day after day”.

Such indiscipline would surely not be tolerated by Lendl, whose stony-faced glare is almost as intimidating as his topspin forehand used to be.

Until now, Zverev has relied mainly on the coaching of his father Alexander Zverev Snr, known universally as “Papa” within the locker-room. 

Reuters