Wimbledon: Andy Murray’s 7 greatest matches – ranked!
It was an announcement that no one wanted to hear.
Andy Murray’s Wimbledon withdrawal was no surprise, but it is devastating that a man who gave so much to this tournament is unable to go out on his own terms.
The Brit is still set to play doubles alongside his brother Jamie, but Tuesday’s announcement confirms that an extraordinary singles career at SW19 has come to a close.
Amid his final appearance at the All England Club, we rank seven of Murray’s best and most memorable wins at his home Grand Slam.
7) 2021 R2 – def Oscar Otte 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
Murray had been told his singles career was all but over after hip surgery, but battled back to return to singles action at Wimbledon in 2021 – four years after his last appearance in the men’s draw.
And the two-time champion eased through his first-round match, with hopes high he could progress further.
After a strong start against qualifier Otte, Murray found himself a set away from defeat against the German.
But Murray summoned his trademark grit and rallied to seal one of his most memorable SW19 victories.
6) 2005 R1 – def George Bastl 6-4, 6-2, 6-2
Roll back the clock to 2005, and an 18-year-old Murray received a wildcard to make his Grand Slam main draw debut at the All England Club.
The Brit was handed an intriguing draw against Swiss star Bastl, who had to come through qualifying – but who famously ended Pete Sampras’ Wimbledon career in 2002.
But there were few issues for Murray on this occasion, with the future world No 1 kickstarting his Wimbledon career with an impressive round-one victory.
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5) 2016 Final – def Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2)
The win that kickstarted an epic end to Murray’s 2016 season – and powered his rise to the world No 1 ranking.
Having already won at SW19 by this point, the pressure was off Murray slightly – but with Novak Djokovic beaten early in the tournament, he became the favourite to lift the title.
And after storming through the draw, he delivered a classy display against big-serving Raonic in the final, easing his way to his third and final Grand Slam title.
4) 2012 SF – def Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
Outside of the ‘big three’, Tsonga was one of the biggest rivals of Murray’s career and was a huge obstacle the Brit had to overcome to reach his first SW19 final.
After three straight semi-final defeats, hopes were high that he could finally reach the Wimbledon final after losses to Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick in his previous semi-final clashes.
There was a slight wobble in the third set as Tsonga came roaring back, but Murray closed this thrilling semi-final in four sets to reach the first of his three finals at this tournament.
3) 2013 QF – def Fernando Verdasco 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5
How different could Murray’s career have been had he not turned this contest around?
The second seed was a significant favourite against an unseeded Verdasco in this quarter-final contest, but the Spaniard stormed to an impressive lead in front of a stunned Centre Court crowd.
Having shaken monkeys off his back by winning the Olympics and the US Open in the previous year, it felt like Murray would find himself unable to capitalise on that and fall to a surprise loss.
However, as he so often did, the 37-year-old was able to turn the tables – and battled back to prevail in a five-set thriller.
2) 2008 R4 – def Richard Gasquet 5-7, 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2, 6-4
Another five-set comeback, this was the match where Murray really exploded into the top of the tennis world.
The 12th seed and eighth seed Gasquet were among the leading talents of their generation, but it was the French star who eased himself close to victory out on Centre Court.
Murray was never one to go down without a fight, and this was the first huge glimpse of that.
The Brit edged a tight third set in a tiebreak and never looked back, revelling in an immense Centre Court atmosphere to power himself into a first Wimbledon quarter-final.
1) 2013 Final – def Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4
Could we have put any other match as No 1 on this list?
The pressure on Murray to win Wimbledon was like nothing else and, after defeat in the final in 2012, hopes were high it would be second time lucky when he faced Djokovic in 2013.
It was never going to be an easy match, but the Brit battled himself to a two-set lead and found himself serving for the title in the third set.
Understandably, there were nerves for Murray as he tried to get over the line, but he ultimately blew the roof of Centre Court by ending 77 years of British hurt at SW19.
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