ZipRecruiter Player Resume: Andy Murray, destined for greatness

From his first fortnight in Wimbledon’s main draw, Andy Murray made it clear to his enthusiastic home fans that he was destined for greatness, reaching the third round as an 18-year-old wildcard.

A talented technician, Murray improved his fitness and soon became one of the toughest outs for the game’s best, winning six of his first eight matches against Roger Federer and upsetting Rafael Nadal en route to his first Grand Slam final at the 2008 US Open.

By 2011, he had reached the semifinals or better at all four major tournaments, but a maiden major title continued to elude him—culminating with an emotional defeat to Federer at Wimbledon in 2012.

The Brit somehow channeled that disappointment into a summer to remember, avenging the loss to Federer to win gold at the London Olympic Games and, at last, capture his first major over Novak Djokovic at the US Open.

Murray became the first man from his country to win a major singles title in the Open Era, but it wasn’t until he was victorious at Wimbledon 10 months later—again over Djokovic in the final—that his destiny was truly fulfilled.

He continued to break barriers in the tennis world when he hired Amélie Mauresmo and became the first elite ATP player to have a woman serving as his primary coach; together, they maintained his top-flight consistency and worked to reach back-to-back Australian Open finals.

Murray also enjoyed a prolific partnership with coach Ivan Lendl, who was by his side in 2016 when the Brit recaptured his Wimbledon and Olympic crowns and enjoy his first season as ATP Year-End No. 1.

The years since have been a struggle for the unflappable Murray, who underwent hip resurfacing surgery in 2019 after considering retirement a year prior. At 34 years old, can he physically keep up with a game he once dominated?

“I can't say with any great certainty I will be okay,” he admitted last week at the tournament in Queen’s Club. “I mean, I hope I will be, because I'm sure and I have seen enough again in practice that my tennis is fine and in a good place, but, you know, physically I need to hold up under playing matches.”

If he can, fans around the world may yet see his greatness once more.