History in New York - How Andy Murray's first Grand Slam victory ended Britain's Major drought
The US Open has released a short documentary, "Andy Murray: Never Giving Up," celebrating his achievements and never-say-die attitude. It showcases Murray's journey over the years in New York, where he achieved some of his biggest career milestones.
Andy Murray first tasted success at the US Open as a junior when he won the title in 2004 as a 17-year old. Following his win, the Brit said he was looking forward to testing himself against the top players in the world.
"I've not really thought about it like that. I just couldn't believe it I'd won. I'm really looking forward to playing against the best players in the world. I've not really played against anyone who's been great, not top 100 players and you don't know how good you're going to be until you start beating some of them," Murray said in the documentary.
Andy Murray turned pro in 2005 and made his debut at the US Open after being awarded a wildcard. He won his first-round match against Andrei Pavel in five sets after being down two sets to one. But the Scot lost 2-6 6-7(2) 6-2 7-6(4) 0-6 in the second round to Arnaud Clement in another tough five-set contest.
Murray made considerable progress over the next year and entered the 2006 US Open as the 17th seed, where he lost to Nikolay Davydenko. Despite the loss, he remained optimistic about the future and knew the improvements he had to make in order to be more successful.
"I'm mean I'm so excited now because I think my serve can get much better, my movement can get much better. I can get fitter, improve my volley, my slice. Mentally I can get stronger and you know hopefully in the next few years be one of the best players in the world," Murray exclaimed.
The Scot broke into the top 10 of the rankings in 2007, but then suffered a huge setback. He was out for two months with a wrist injury and missed Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Murray made his comeback during the North American hardcourt swing, but lost in the early rounds in the tournaments he competed in. He also lost in the third round at the US Open that year.
Andy Murray's Grand Slam breakthrough at the 2008 US Open
At the 2008 US Open, Murray reached his maiden Grand Slam final. He defeated top-ranked Rafael Nadal in the semifinals, but lost to four-time defending champion Roger Federer 6-2 7-5 6-2 in the final. While acknowledging he still had a lot of work to do in order to win a Slam, Murray revealed that he thoroughly enjoyed his experience in New York.
"That I got a lot of improving to do if I want to win one of these tournaments. I love playing in front of this crowd, I've played three matches on Arthur Ashe, been the best time of my life."
Between 2009 and 2010, Murray continued to make progress, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 2 and his second Grand Slam final at the 2010 Australian Open. However, his performances at the US Open were disappointing, losing in the fourth and third rounds respectively.
In 2011, Murray reached his third Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, losing to Novak Djokovic. He reached the semifinals of the other three Grand Slams during the year as well. For all his talent and effort, he fell just short of breaking the Big 3's dominance at the Grand Slams.
Murray reached his fourth Grand Slam final and his first at Wimbledon in 2012, losing to Federer yet again. However, he defeated the Swiss to win the gold medal at the London Olympics a few weeks later. The win was significant and marked a huge turning point in his career.
Andy Murray tastes Grand Slam success at the 2012 US Open
At the 2012 US Open, Andy Murray reached his fifth Grand Slam final where he was up against defending champion Novak Djokovic. The duo engaged in an epic battle as they contested the longest final in US Open history. The Brit emerged victorious 7-6(10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 in a hard-fought contest to claim his maiden Grand Slam title.
"I don't know how I managed it to overcome in the end. I guess close to five hours I've had some really tough matches with him in the past and just managed to get through," Murray said.
#USOpen 50 for 50: @andy_murray wins the 2012 US Open title, his first at Flushing Meadows in a 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 thriller over Novak Djokovic.
Read more: ms.spr.ly/US-Open-50-for… #USOpen50 https://t.co/4S2UTd57Pz
Murray thus became the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win a Grand Slam title. The win also solidified his presence at the top of the men's game, with the Big 3 expanding to the 'Big 4'.
Murray's career continued to scale new heights as he won two more Grand Slam titles, both at Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016. He then won another gold medal in singles at the 2016 Rio Olympics, becoming the only tennis player in history to win two singles gold medals. The Scot also won the 2016 ATP Finals and ended the year ranked World No. 1.
Before Rio 2016, nobody had won back-to-back singles gold medals at the Olympics.
Then along came @andy_murray 🥇 🥇
🎥 @olympicchannel https://t.co/daFMAGFakv
Andy Murray's began to struggle from 2017 as he battled hip problems. He suffered a hip injury towards the end of the year and underwent surgeries in 2018 and 2019. He has been on the comeback trail ever since his, fighting hard to reach his old level.
It has been a bumpy ride for Murray, but he has never backed down from a challenge and has overcome plenty of obstacles to reach the top. He won his first title since 2017 at the 2019 European Open.
In 2021 Murray reached the third round at Wimbledon. This was his best Grand Slam result since Wimbledon in 2017, where he reached the quarterfinals. It might well take Andy Murray some time to regain his former glory, but he's more than capable of doing so.