What Andy Murray Meant to Tennis—As a Fighter on Court docket and a Pioneer Off It
The considered Andy Murray winding up his profession this week on the Paris Olympics has taken me again to the second when he started it, as a thin, seething 18-year-old at Wimbledon, within the distant 12 months of 2005.
I used to be on the All England Membership for that fortnight, and felt the joys of Murray’s debut as he took maintain of the grounds, and took over the fevered entrance pages of the London newspapers. Simply because it was changing into clear that the longtime British hope, Gentleman Tim Henman, was by no means going to present the house people a Wimbledon title, right here got here his rougher-around-the-edges and considerably unlikely-looking successor.
He was a uncooked, pale, red-haired teenager from Scotland who didn’t appear particularly athletic as he hobbled throughout the court docket between factors. However as soon as these factors started, you can see that there was one thing particular in his swing, some magic in his wand. Within the early days, Murray performed a extra diversified, cagey, instinctive, feel-based sport than he would throughout his practical-minded prime. Jimmy Connors, commentating at Wimbledon that 12 months, mentioned he had tennis in his DNA, and that “the sky’s the restrict.” Roger Federer, after dealing with Murray for the primary time a number of months later, mentioned the identical factor.
However it wasn’t simply Murray’s precocious approach with a racquet that made him a must-watch at that first Wimbledon. It was additionally the pugnacity that simmered just under the floor always, and often flared up within the warmth of battle. When he misplaced to David Nalbandian in 5 units within the third spherical, Murray walked to the sideline and started kicking at his racquet bag in a blind rage. It was awkward within the second—the gang was silent—however it additionally confirmed that he had the street-fighter’s edge that Our Tim the Englishman lacked. Murray owned the talents to win Wimbledon, and he was going to do no matter it took to make it occur.
All of which implies it’s becoming that Murray is ending his profession whereas representing his nation. From his debut on, he took it on his shoulders to carry the Wimbledon males’s singles title again to Nice Britain for the primary time since Fred Perry gained it in 1938. That quest took eight years, and by no means regarded destined to occur till the second it did.
Enjoying in an period with three GOATs named Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal, Murray suffered numerous agonizing losses to them within the later rounds of majors. However, centered and conscientious about what he wished to attain, he persevered. He beefed up his physique and powered up his serve and forehand. He traded his early, all-court creativity for a fortress-like baseline consistency. He employed a troublesome taskmaster in Ivan Lendl, who had additionally famously by no means gained Wimbledon.
The primary breakthrough got here, additionally fittingly, on the 2012 London Video games, when Murray overwhelmed Federer in three fast units for the gold medal on Centre Court docket. A month later, he beat Djokovic in 5 units for his first Slam, on the US Open. The next summer season, he reached the “pinnacle of the game,” as he known as it, when he beat Djokovic once more within the Wimbledon ultimate, and ended the 77-year males’s-title drought. His face was planted throughout each tabloid on the town the following morning. In accordance with the headline writers, he had both discovered the Holy Grail or climbed the sports activities model of Mt. Everest.
Murray would have been immortal had he stopped there. However he stored going, and stored discovering methods to fend off the Huge 3 simply lengthy sufficient to attain one other longstanding purpose, for himself and his nation. In 2015, he virtually singlehandedly introduced the Davis Cup again to Nice Britain for the primary time since 1936. In 2016, he gained Wimbledon once more, repeated on the Olympics, and have become the primary British participant within the Open period to be a year-end No. 1.
Sadly, the chase for the highest spot additionally broke him. Murray’s proper hip, regardless of a number of surgical procedures, was by no means the identical. After 2017, he wouldn’t get previous the third spherical at a serious once more.
But when harm and growing older—and a metallic hip—stored him from being the identical participant, they didn’t preserve him from being the identical fighter. Moderately than proceed dominating into his 30s, the way in which the superhuman Huge 3 did, Murray took a route that was extra relatable for many of us: As his powers declined, and his opponents grew ever youthful, he raged even more durable towards the dying of the athletic mild. Whereas his outdated rivals hoisted Grand Slam trophies in Paris, London, and New York, Murray traveled the pro-tour backroads by locations like Metz, Antwerp, Winston-Salem, and Rennes, struggling to outlive first-round matches. Nonetheless, he gave us as a lot to these matches as he ever needed to the Grand Slam epics of his prime.
By taking part in on with solely scant hope of reliving his previous glory, Murray despatched a message value listening to to all of us: Not everybody might be Djokovic, however that shouldn’t preserve us from competing and anticipating essentially the most from ourselves. The struggle, as Murray confirmed over his final six years, is the factor.
Murray despatched one message with what he did on court docket, and one other with the way in which he behaved off it. He might have been the primary male participant of any significance to actively promote girls’s tennis, and actively protest towards sexism towards feminine athletes. He employed Amelie Mauresmo as his coach, watched and touted girls’s matches, sang the praises of WTA gamers, known as for equal pay throughout the board, and branded himself a feminist. He confirmed youthful gamers {that a} male athlete can do all of that whereas nonetheless retaining the respect of his friends, even when they don’t agree together with his views.
As a participant, Murray’s legacy is his perseverance. In his 20s, he fought the Huge 3 lengthy sufficient to lastly be part of them on the Grand Slam podium. In his 30s, he fought his physique and the growing older course of, even when the deck was stacked towards him, the way in which it’s stacked towards all of us.
As an individual, Murray’s legacy has the potential to be even better. Up to now, from what I can inform, he nonetheless stands alone in his vocal dedication to anti-sexism and gender equality in tennis. It’s a legacy that’s ready for anybody who has admired him for the final twenty years to proceed.
