• ATP World Tour Finals

Murray needs a break, says McEnroe

John McEnroe says Andy Murray needs to forget his devastating defeat to Roger Federer © Getty Images

Enlarge

John McEnroe has urged Andy Murray to take a break from tennis after a difficult season ended with a humiliating thrashing by Roger Federer at the World Tour Finals.

Murray was due to take a two-week break but hinted he could return to the practice court in Miami "sooner than I would have done" and would use the defeat as motivation for the off-season.

He only qualified for London after winning three titles during a gruelling late surge over six weeks and seven-time grand slam champion McEnroe feels he needs to rest.

A crisis of confidence

Andy Murray lost 6-0 6-1 to Roger Federer on Thursday © Getty Images

• Andy Murray slumped out of the World Tour Finals after a humiliating defeat and a poor year. After watching his performances at London's O2 Arena this week, Nick Atkin asks if he will ever reach the top again.
  
  Click here to read the full article

"If he learns anything from Roger [Federer] it should be that Roger's magnificent in forgetting devastating matches. That's not a tape you want to look at," said McEnroe.

"There's clearly a gap there, and part of it's what happened leading up to it. He's played too much and he seems to have not much left in the tank.

"He looked tired, his legs looked heavy. If I was his coach, I would definitely tell him to take a break. He needs a break."

After undergoing back surgery last September, as well as splitting from his coach Ivan Lendl in March, Murray has struggled in 2014 while his partnership with Amelie Mauresmo will come under increasing scrutiny.

Murray feels it is unfair to judge the success of their partnership until at least after the Australian Open, when they have spent time working together away from the Tour.

"I don't know how much time something like that needs," added McEnroe. "I would not call it a roaring success but that doesn't mean it should not be given more time.

"I was speaking to Ivan and he said, for anything, it needs a year or two. If that's true, you've got to give it more time."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd