Wimbledon champion Andy Murray sprang a surprise as he appointed Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo as his new coach on Sunday.

Murray’s management team announced in a statement that Mauresmo will initially work with the Scot for his grass-court campaign, which gets under way at Queen’s Club this week in the build-up to his defence of the Wimbledon crown.

“I’m excited by the possibilities of the new partnership and Amelie is someone I have always looked up to and admired,” Murray wrote on his official website.

“She’s faced adversity plenty of times in her career, but was an amazing player and won major titles, including Wimbledon.”

Murray had been searching for a coach since parting ways with Ivan Lendl in March and was linked with a host of big names including legendary American John McEnroe and leading coaches Larry Stefanki, Darren Cahill and Roger Rasheed.

But in the end he has gone for former world number one Mauresmo, who was first mooted as a shock candidate after she watched his match against Andrey Golubev at the French Open.

The 27-year-old’s decision to hire a woman will be seen by some as a gamble, but Mauresmo, who won Wimbledon in 2006 before retiring in 2009, already has experience of coaching a male player after a spell with compatriot Michael Llodra.

She retains close links to the sport as coach of the France Fed Cup team and also coached Marion Bartoli when she ended her long wait to win a Grand Slam at Wimbledon last year.

Murray, who was thrashed by Rafael Nadal in the French Open semi-finals, has no doubts about her credentials.

“I have a very strong coaching team already in place, but I think Amelie brings with her experience and tactical expertise and will push us all to improve,” he said.

“Everyone I know talks very highly of Amelie, as a person and coach, and I’m convinced that her joining the team will help us push on. I want to win more grand slams.”

After ending Britain’s 77-year wait for a male winner of the Wimbledon singles title last year, Murray has struggled to be build on that historic triumph.

Hampered by a back injury that required surgery last year, he has failed to reach a single ATP Tour or Grand Slam final since then and his ranking has dipped to eighth in the world.

The British number one’s French Open challenge came to a humbling end with a crushing straight sets defeat against Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals on Friday.