As tennis says goodbye to Andy Murray after a memorable final event at the Olympics, The Athletic has interviewed nearly 30 players, coaches, and other luminaries to grasp the significance of the three-time Grand Slam champion, double Olympic champion, and British tennis legend in the sport.
From close associates like his brother Jamie and Great Britain Davis Cup captain Leon Smith to rivals like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, as well as WTA players Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka who respect his advocacy for gender equality, the 27 individuals below have dissected various aspects of Murray’s game and personality, having observed him closely throughout his life and career. Additionally, Murray himself elaborates on what he values most from his 19-year tenure on the ATP Tour.
GO DEEPER
Fifty Shades of Andy Murray
The Hall of Famer: ‘He was a monster – it was a “Big Four” for sure’
First and foremost, Murray was a world-class player. One of his rivals, Stan Wawrinka, said recently that it was a ‘Big Four’ rather than the ‘Big Three’, with Murray deserving a spot in that group alongside Roger Federer,
Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic due to his remarkable consistency. This is why Wawrinka, a three-time Grand Slam winner like Murray but not as adept at reaching major finals or securing other titles, categorizes the Scotsman in a league of his own.
Virtually every player who faced Murray concurs.
Rafael Nadal
One of Murray’s Big Four rivals during that era was Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion. The pair played each other 24 times, with Nadal leading the head-to-head 17-7, which included two wins for Murray on clay.
Nadal says: “We know each other since we were small kids. He’s one year younger. When we were playing by teams — Spain, Great Britain — he was on the team one year younger. We know each other very well. We grow together on the tour, even when he arrived a little bit later than me.
“Andy had an amazing career. I think in some way… I mean, I don’t like to say he deserves more or less because, at the end, if I say I deserve more if I don’t have injuries, no? No, I don’t, because I had the injuries, no? He had a lot of finals. He was an amazing player who probably played in a difficult moment because he shared the tour at the prime time of Novak, Roger, and myself.
Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal after the latter’s triumph during the fourth round of the 2007 Australian Open (Richard A Brooks / Getty Images)
“He was the one that was at the same level as us in general terms. In terms of victories, he achieved less but in terms of the level of tennis, of having, mentally, the winning spirit week after week, he was the only one that was very close to being at the same level as us.”
David Goffin
Goffin’s game matched up terribly to Murray’s and he lost all eight of their meetings. The Belgian, once ranked No 7 in the world, was also the fall guy for one of Murray’s most famous wins — the one that secured Great Britain the Davis Cup in 2015. The final point, which Murray won with a trademark lob, was evidence of his exceptional court craft and shot-making ability.
Goffin is also in no doubt that Murray deserved his place in the Big Four group.
Goffin says: “He killed me all the time. It’s amazing what Andy did for the sport. I played him many times, and I always felt that he was too good. It’s insane what he did, especially with the other three big guys playing with him.
“He was part of the Big Four. He was world No 1. He won Grand Slams. He won so many Masters 1000s (14 in total). He was just a monster, a legend.”