Soccer
  • Home
  • Tennis
  • Andy Murray’s greatest tour wins: Olympics, Wimbledon, US Open, Queen's Club first round...

Andy Murray’s 10 greatest tour wins: Olympics, Wimbledon, US Open, Queen's Club first round...

After Andy Murray beat Taro Daniel to win the 700th tour-level match of his career, Andy Schooler looks back on 10 of his most famous victories.

From Grand Slam and Davis Cup glory all the way back to his very first year on the tour, which included him throwing up on court, here's our run-down of some great Murray memories.

Santiago Ventura, Queen's Club, first round, 2005 - 6-1 6-2

Win number one of Murray's tour-level career came as a wild card at Queen's. Few saw it either - he was on the non-televised Court One behind the huge main arena. But those who were present watched a player whose grasscourt skills would take him much, much further in the future.
Claycourt specialist Ventura failed to create a single break point as Murray lost just three games.
"This was a very important match for me - one of the biggest of my career," Murray said afterwards. There would be a few bigger ones to follow.

Andrei Pavel, US Open, first round, 2005 - 6-3 3-6 3-6 6-1 6-4

Not Murray's most famous success, no doubt, but certainly memorable for several reasons. It was his first five-set win of his career but perhaps it will best be remembered for the Scot vomiting on the court at Flushing Meadows.
Having battled back from two sets to one down to lead in the decider, Murray was sick on the court, prompting a 20-minute delay. However, upon the resumption, the 18-year-old stayed focused to win his first Grand Slam match away from Wimbledon.

Richard Gasquet, Wimbledon, fourth round, 2008 - 5-7 3-6 7-6 6-2 6-4

Following his jokey comments about 'anyone but England' winning the 2006 football World Cup, this was a match seen by many as pivotal to getting fans back on side.
Murray produced a stunning comeback but it was the way he interacted with the crowd, whipping the Centre Court into an evening frenzy, as he roared out celebrations and at one point climbed onto the court surround as his rapport with the fans grew.
I was actually on Centre Court that day and when Gasquet stepped up to serve for the match at 5-4 in the third set (having not been broken all day), the couple in front of me decided to make an early getaway. Bad move. A couple of hours later, with the clock well past 9pm, Murray was celebrating victory in the gloom.
It is one of 10 comeback wins from Murray from two sets down - no one in the Open Era has more such victories.

Rafael Nadal, US Open, semi-final, 2008 - 6-2 7-6 4-6 6-4

Murray's win over Gasquet had set up a quarter-final with Nadal but he was wiped off court and the Spaniard started this contest a couple of months later as the firm favourite again.
However, Murray was much more competitive on this occasion and stormed into a two-set lead before rain pushed the match into a second day.
Upon the resumption, Nadal won the third set but Murray was not to be denied. Soon Sky Sports commentator Mark Petchey - Murray's former coach - was shouting the famous line 'he's done it, he's in the final!' as the British star reached the first Grand Slam final of his career.

Roger Federer, Olympic Games, final, 2012 - 6-2 6-1 6-4

Given the success Murray has gone on to enjoy, it's often hard to remember the criticism he would regularly get for not winning the game's top prizes.
In 2012, Murray had spent seven years on the ATP Tour, appeared in four Grand Slam finals and lost them all. But the London Olympics gave him a second chance of the summer on the All England Club's grass and, having lost to Federer in the final of Wimbledon, he took his revenge in some style.
Murray served brilliantly, holding his delivery throughout the match. He was undoubtedly helped by the fact Federer's semi-final win over Juan Martin del Potro had taken four-and-a-half hours but the gold medal left hanging around the Team GB athlete's neck afterwards made no mention of that. It was the breakthrough win Murray required.

Novak Djokovic, US Open, final, 2012 - 7-6 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2

While Olympic gold was most welcome, the prize Murray craved the most was a Grand Slam title. And it followed less than six weeks after his London 2012 triumph.
Murray blew leads in both of the first two sets - he actually led the second 4-0 - yet he still managed to steel himself to win both. But when the Serb started rolling in the third set, it looked like the Briton was to be denied again.
However, Murray's bathroom break ahead of the decider during which he told himself, out loud, 'you are not losing this match' had the desired effect. He broke serve immediately and went on to clinch victory after four hours and 54 minutes on court. A 76-year wait for a British man to win a Grand Slam singles title was at an end.

Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon, final, 2013 - 6-4 7-5 6-4

For the majority of Murray's fans, it will probably be his US Open final win which is regarded as the standout success of his career when he finally decides to hang up the racquet. But there's little doubt that this match will be the defining moment among the general public.
Not since 1936 had a British man won Wimbledon but this was Murray's time. Again he was assisted by Juan Martin del Potro - the Argentine had kept Djokovic on court for close to five hours in the semi-finals - and when it came to the final two days later the Serb did seem a little subdued.
Coming out on top in many gruelling rallies, Murray was able to maintain a grip on the match, one which only looked like slipping when he stepped up to serve for the title.
Having blown three championship points at 40-0, he had to fend off three break points. He would later admit had he lost one of them it would have been very difficult to recover. But he saved all three before clinching his most famous of wins thanks to a netted backhand from Djokovic.

David Goffin, Davis Cup, final, 2015 - 6-3 7-5 6-3

The next chapter of British tennis history to be rewritten was the long wait for Davis Cup glory - 79 years to be precise. This was Murray's 11th rubber of the campaign - and his 11th win. He was the first man to win 11 live rubbers in a Davis Cup season and remain unbeaten.
In truth, the result was rarely in doubt but it did produce a moment of sheer genius - one which aptly came on match point and one for which the contest will always be remembered. I refer to it as simply 'The Lob'.
Deep into one of the long claycourt rallies the contest produced, Murray looked in trouble. Frankly, Goffin should have put a forehand away but he failed to find the corner of the court and Murray was able to scamper to the ball and hoist one of his trademark lobs which left Goffin stranded. When the ball landed in, the GB bench stormed the court to mob Murray. The Davis Cup was back in British hands.

Novak Djokovic, ATP Finals, final, 2016 - 6-3 6-4

Just as Djokovic had done in 2011, Murray used Davis Cup success as a springboard to personal dominance. A further Wimbledon crown was added and sparked a chase towards another career goal - the world number one spot.
A stunning winning streak during the autumn saw that achieved in Paris and when he faced off against Djokovic in London, it marked the first time the last match of the season would be played with both men chasing the top ranking.
This time it was Murray coming off an epic semi-final - three hours and 38 minutes against Milos Raonic the day before - but the home favourite was the better player at the O2 Arena and sealed his superb season with a straight-sets victory. The raised 'number one' finger picture endures.

Stan Wawrinka, Antwerp, final, 2019 - 3-6 6-4 6-4

We all remember the Australian Open's premature farewell video of 2019, don't we? Well, less than a year after his hip surgery, Murray was back in an ATP Tour final. This was actually just his sixth ATP post-op event and his ranking had fallen to 243. Across the net was former Grand Slam champion Wawrinka, still in the top 20 at the time.
Murray looked on the brink when he fell down a set and a break but his famous defensive skills got him back in the match as Wawrinka found it increasingly difficult to hit through the Briton. After clinching a narrow victory, a tearful Murray declared himself "very happy", adding "I didn't expect to be in this position at all".

READ MORE: Andy Murray vows to donate all prize money from 2022 to Unicef's Ukraine appeal

    More Articles