Murray’s legacy will become more recognised as time goes on

Tennis News
Andy Murray roars
  • January 12, 2019

News of Andy Murray’s impending retirement is not yet old but the tributes have begun to pour in for the 31-year-old Scot.

In many ways, it has left the tennis world in shock and in other ways, it seemed the only logical end to his ongoing injury crisis. When fans around the world wake to the news, they will muse over Murray’s retirement comments over a warm brew of coffee and they will begin to put his achievements into perspective.

Andy one of the greats

Once anyone starts down that path, they will be met with a sharp realisation that this was no ordinary tennis player. A three-time Grand Slam champion and a two-time Olympic gold medallist after having won in Rio 2016 makes Murray one of the greats of the game, and if you had offered that to him in 2005 before he made his debut in Barcelona, there’s every chance he would have bitten your hand off for it.

Despite all of the trophies he has won, Murray will most probably be remembered for being the man that was able to make an impact in the most competitive era of men’s tennis. The list of players that have been swept aside by Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic is a long one. Indeed, there were many fine tennis players that would have enjoyed more success had they been born into a different generation that have largely been forgotten without a trace, given the competition they have come up against over the last thirteen years.


Murray does not feature anywhere on that list and instead will stand tall as one of the very few who were able to stand toe to toe and trade blows with the game’s greatest players.

Australian Open to be Murray’s swansong

An emotional Murray said he will still play at the Australian Open but it may be more of a swansong than anything else, and a chance to say goodbye. At 80/1 he comes into the event very much an outsider but sport does have a habit of producing fairytale stories.

Novak Djokovic comes in as the favourite at 6/5 but was also considering his future last year after his shock quarter-final exit at Roland Garros but managed to turn things around after winning back to back grand slams. That’s not to say Djokovic’s elbow injury was as bad as Murray’s hip currently is but it’s another inspiring example of how players are able to turn it around.

Still in the odds for Wimbledon

It’s interesting to note that the bookies still have Murray at 9/1 to win Wimbledon this year, despite the Scot saying he may not be fit enough to compete at the All England Club. As it stands, Murray’s intention is to retire after Wimbledon and, by doing so, he has left the door ajar still for a comeback. However, whatever the case, it appears his best days are now behind him.


It is often said in life that you appreciate something more once it’s gone and there’s a case for that applying to Andy Murray. During parts of his career, the Scot was overlooked as one of the game’s greats but now that it looks like the end is near, Murray’s achievements all of a sudden look all the more impressive.

 

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