The man behind Andy Murray

Ivan Lendl will know exactly how Andy Murray is feeling ahead of the Wimbledon final later today. He will also know exactly how it feels to have come so close and fallen at the last hurdle.

Lendl and Murray share a remarkably similar start to their careers: If Andy Murray can topple Federer he will win his first major final at his fourth attempt. This will be one less then Lendl who had to wait to his fifth final before finally winning the French Open in 1984.

The victory then saw him become on of the most dominant players of the modern era, winning 8 majors in 7 years.

Murray and his team will be hoping that Lendl's winning formula can rub off on the British number 1.

The 8 times major champion also claimed 144 career singles titles and reached world number 1in 1983.

The previous year, he won in total 15 of the 23 singles tournaments he entered and had a 44-match winning streak. The only, and most worrying blemish on his record, is that he failed to win Wimbledon, reaching the semi final 5 times and the final twice.

If Murray wins later today it will be personal triumph for both men.