WATCH: Andy Murray reacts to his top 5 ATP points, ft. Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer

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Andy Murray pleased

Andy Murray has analysed the five best points he has played in ATP tournaments, including in matches against Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. 

In a video with Tennis TV, Murray looked back on a collection of the finest points he won during what were arguably the prime years of his career. The matches featured were from between 2010 and 2017, with two points from 2016 – the 36-year-old’s greatest season.

In 2016, Murray finished the season as the year-end world No 1 and with a 78-9 (89.7%) record, winning nine titles. His triumphs included the Wimbledon title, an gold medal in singles at the Rio Olympics, the ATP Finals and three ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. The Brit was also a runner-up at the Australian Open and French Open.

The first point the three-time major champion assessed came during his stunning 6-3, 6-2 win over Federer in the 2010 Shanghai Masters final. Murray produced a brilliant forehand passing shot on the run on set point in the opening set.

“Yeah so that point, obviously it happens a lot against Roger, but you’re sort of reacting to kind of what he’s doing,” explained the former world No 1.

“Obviously played a great point and just sort of reacted to his short volley cross-court. Not sure nowadays I’d be able to reach that ball but back then still had the legs and nice flick at the end to finish it and win the set. Was a good one.”

In the second point, Murray produces a remarkable stretching forehand flick winner in his 2014 Italian Open quarter-final loss to Nadal.

“Yeah, (commentator) Robbie [Koenig] always gets a bit excited when you play some points like that (laughs). I don’t know how I managed to do that really,” he admitted.

“You don’t often get yourself in that sort of situation on the court when someone’s sort of digging the ball and it’s ended up sort of behind me, but just managed to again, like flick of the wrist and thankfully it went in up the line. But yeah, typical sort of Rafa point on the clay, having to hit an extra shot to finish the point.”

En route to winning the Dubai Championships in 2017, Murray saved seven match points in an incredible 38-point second-set tiebreak to beat Philipp Kohlschreiber in the quarter-finals. To fend off one of those match points at 8-9, Murray produced an outrageous drop-shot winner.

“I mean I’ve seen this point played over a lot of times. Yeah I was just trying to dictate the point as much as I could from the back of the court and get the short forehand. I kind of got the ball I wanted,” analysed Murray.

“Yeah, just came up with this slightly unorthodox shot – you would never really sort of practise or play those shots. It was just totally instinctive and thankfully it dropped in. But yeah it was a great shot.

“I think that was probably a pretty tough one for him because he’d had quite a few match points in the match. But yeah, maybe one day we’ll have a chat about it and see what he was thinking.”

In the group stage at the 2016 ATP Finals, Murray saved a set point in the first set of his win over Kei Nishikori with a backhand on the run after a great piece of anticipation.

“That was a big tournament for me this one at the O2 [Arena] and I managed to get away here with a terrible lob and just, yeah instinct. I thankfully timed it right,” said the Brit.

“Kei will be disappointed with that one. Like, It’s a good shot but you know, once I’d guessed the right way I should probably – I had to make that. But yeah bit of a mistake from Kei.”

The final point, ranked as the best in the video, came on match point of Murray’s 6-3, 6-3 victory against Djokovic in the 2016 Italian Open final. The two-time Olympic champion read where Djokovic was going and produced a backhand winner from well out of the court.

“Again I just sort of read the play really well, ended up in the flower bed. It was a nice win for me that one, I obviously hadn’t won too many big tournaments on the clay up to that point,” reflected Murray.

“And I think I’d lost to Novak the week before in the final of Madrid. So that was a nice way to finish that tournament and for sure one of the better match points I’ve played.”

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Andy Murray Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal Roger Federer

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