Andy Murray
Scotland

  • Full name Andrew Murray
  • Birth date May 15, 1987
  • Birth place Dunblane, Scotland
  • Current age 36 years 309 days
  • Height 6 ft 3 in
  • Style Right-hander
Andy Murray with the trophy
Profile

First there was Henmania, now we have Andymonium. Andy Murray has progressed from a talented but petulant teenager into one of Britain's most successful tennis players and is now a grand slam - and Wimbledon! - champion.

A talented youngster, Murray followed his older brother Jamie into the sport and enjoyed success from an early age. At the age of 15 he moved to Barcelona to train at the Sanchez Casal academy. The gamble paid off and in 2004 he won the US Open boys' title and later that year scooped the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.

After becoming the youngest player to represent Great Britain in the Davis Cup at the age of 17, Murray turned professional and reached his first tour final at just his eighth tournament. He lost to world No. 1 Roger Federer, but an impressive debut season saw the Scot catapulted into the top 100, becoming the fifth youngest player of all time to make the cut behind Bjorn Borg, Lleyton Hewitt, Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick.

He won his first title the following year and moved into the top 50. However, he developed a reputation for sulking and trantrums, and was fined $2,500 for swearing at an umpire during a Davis Cup match against Serbia and Montenegro.

After reaching the top ten for the first time in April 2007, Murray struggled with fatigue and was sidelined for nearly four months with injury, forcing him to withdraw from the French Open, Queens and Wimbledon. At the end of an injury-plagued season, he split with his coach Brad Gilbert, replacing him with a team of coaches.

Murray returned at the beginning of 2008 visibly fitter and stronger and won the first tournament he entered in Qatar. After coming from behind to beat Richard Gasquet to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon for the first time in June 2008, Murray reached his first grand slam final, beating Nadal before losing to a resurgent Federer in the US Open final, which was enough to see him break into top four for the first time.

2009 was a stellar year for Murray, winning back-to-back titles in Abu Dhabi and Doha, taking the title at Queens in front of home crowd before losing to Roddick in the semi-final at Wimbledon. In August he reached a career-high ranking of second, and was nominated for BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Murray started 2010 in impressive form storming to the Australian Open semi-finals without dropping a set, and looked on course to become the first British man to win a grand slam since Fred Perry in 1936, but fell in straight sets to a dominant Federer in the final.

He suffered a slump in form, but a semi-final appearance at Wimbledon appeared to reignite his season, but after a resounding victory in Toronto he was hyped as one of the favourites at the US Open, but he crashed out at the third round.

For the second consecutive year, Murray cruised through to the Australian Open final, but this time there was no Federer awaiting in the final. But once again, it was a bridge too far, and he fell in straight sets to Djokovic, who claimed his second slam.

Determined to clinch his first grand slam, Murray employed former world No. 1 Ivan Lendl as his coach for 2012, and although the Scot failed to reach the final for a third successive year in Melbourne, he showed signs of improvement in his heartbreaking semi-final defeat to top seed Djokovic, who went on to retain his title.

At his home slam he ended a 74-year wait for a British male singles finalist, but once again fell at the final hurdle as Federer claimed a seventh title at the All England Club.

Less than a month later, Murray returned to Wimbledon to avenge his defeat to Federer, claiming a stunning 6-2 6-1 6-4 victory in the London 2012 final to be crowned Olympic champion.

And he went on to cap his golden summer by powering to the US Open title - ending Britain's 76-year wait for a men's singles champion. Typical of the man, though, Murray put his fans through the mill. He came close to defeat to Feliciano Lopez, overcoming near exhaustion to beat the Spaniard. He powered into the final with a win over Tomas Berdych and on this occasion he proved too strong for Djokovic. It was an epic effort, with Murray storming into a two-set lead only for Djokovic to force a decider. But it was Murray who steeled himself to win the fifth.

That, though, proved a precursor for the crowning glory to come. Another final defeat to Djokovic in Melbourne (in four sets) was disappointing but no embarrassment - the Serbian seemed in scintillating form. A back injury then forced the Scot to skip the French Open, allowing himself the most time possible to prepare for the big one - Wimbledon. It was a strategy that would pay off.

Murray romped to the final at SW19, with only the quarter-final against Fernando Verdasco (coming back from two sets down) providing a real scare. In the final he met Djokovic - but this time there was only one winner, the home favourite crushing his nemesis in straight sets to become the first British winner of the men's event in 77 years.

A national icon at just 26, the sky appears to be the limit when it comes to what Murray can go on to achieve now.

Career high
There have been some amazing moments and thrilling comebacks, but his brilliant 7-6 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 win over Djokovic to win the 2012 US Open title stands above all other achievements.

Career low
Crashing out of the US Open in the fourth round after losing in straight sets to Marin Cilic. After a successful summer that saw him climb to second in the world, Murray was seeded second for the event, but lost 7-5 6-2 6-2 as a Grand Slam title continued to elude him.

Quotes
"I've always believed I'll peak at 23 or 24. The next three or four years, beginning in 2010 is when I feel I am going to play my best. I am working as hard as I can and if I don't win [a grand slam] it won't be through the lack of trying, it will be because I'm not good enough."

"I understand how much everyone wanted to see British winner at Wimbledon and I hope everyone enjoyed it. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I did my best!"

"He doesn't live an outlandish life and he has got to be the only Scottish guy ever who doesn't drink. His idea of a great time is studying his opponent's play on DVDs. And then he plays video games seven hours a day... he is obsessed with video games." Former coach Brad Gilbert

Trivia
Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Roy Erskine, who played for Hibernian, Murray was a talented footballer and was invited to trial with Rangers, but he turned them down to focus on tennis.

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Jun 10, 2014

Andy Murray trains with hitting partner Daniel Vallverdu

Sep 1, 2013

Andy Murray takes the plaudits after his win

Aug 31, 2013

Rafael Nadal shouts in delight after reaching the fourth round

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Rafael Nadal was full of smiles after defeating Ivan Dodig

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