Andy Murray: A journey through his greatest achievements
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19 years, 46 ATP Tour singles titles, three Olympic medals and an incredible legacy left behind – Andy Murray’s name has been etched in the tennis history books forever after what was a golden career.
With an illustrious list of accolades to his name, Murray is hailed as the most successful British male tennis player in the Open Era.
Murray’s tally places him 15th on the all-time men's tennis list, just behind Boris Becker and ahead of some of the sport’s greats such as Arthur Ashe and Stefan Edberg.
Following Murray's retirement from professional tennis, let’s take a whistle stop tour of some of the greatest career achievements from the best British player of all time...
Three-time Grand Slam champion
Where better place to start than the pinnacle of tennis – the Grand Slams. Despite being in an era dominated by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Murray became Britain’s first Grand Slam singles champion in 76 years after he defeated Djokovic in a five-set-thriller at the 2012 US Open to lift his first of three major titles.
The former world No.1 then went on to lift his next two Grand Slam titles on home soil at The Championships, Wimbledon. The 37-year-old wrote his name into the folklore of the historic tournament as the only British man in the Open Era to raise the iconic trophy when he clinched his first in 2013 after defeating Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 in an emotional battle on Centre Court.
In 2016, the most decorated year of his career, the Dunblane-born star executed a superb performance against Canada’s Milos Raonic to secure a 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) victory in SW19, signifying what would be his last Slam title.
2016 Nitto ATP Finals champion & year-end world No.1
Perhaps one of the highlights of Murray’s career was his triumph at the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals in 2016.
Heading into the final, Murray was carrying the pressure firmly on his shoulders as he bid to not only become the first British man to win the year-end championships to also take over the crown as year-end world No.1.
After a near-flawless journey to the final, Murray was set with a difficult clash against rival Djokovic, but the Brit raised his level to overpower the Serbian 6-3, 6-4 and rise to the top of the world’s rankings for the first time in his career in front of his home crowd at the O2 Arena in London.
Multiple Masters 1000 titleholder
A maestro of the Masters 1000’s – the highest tournament category on the ATP Tour outside of the Grand Slams and Tour Finals - Murray swept up an astonishing 14 titles across his career, placing him 7th on the all-time list.
His maiden Masters title came in Cincinnati in 2008 at the age of 21 when he edged a 7-6(4), 7-6(5) victory over, you guessed it, Djokovic to seal his first of two trophies at that tournament (2011).
He found most success across the pond in Shanghai, where he engraved his name on the silverware three times in 2010, 2011 and 2016 and Canada where he reigned supreme in 2009, 2010 and 2015. The Brit also triumphed in Miami (2), Madrid (2), Rome and Paris.
Murray ended his career by reaching the final of every Masters event on the circuit except for Monte Carlo and Indian Wells.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist
Murray continued to make history throughout his career and became the first tennis player and only man in history to have won two Olympic gold medals in the singles category and, impressively, on two different surfaces.
The 36-year-old’s maiden gold medal came at the London 2012 Olympic Games which took place on the iconic grass courts in SW19. In the final, Murray faced eight-time Wimbledon champion Federer who he had lost to in four sets at the Gentleman's Singles final just one month prior. However, the Brit crushed the then world No.1 in a one-sided battle to win 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 and claim, what was then, his biggest accomplishment to date.
Four years later in Rio, Murray went on to become the first tennis player in history to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals after he beat Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro.
He also had an Olympic silver medal in the mixed doubles event, which he won alongside Laura Robson in London 2012.
Ended Great Britain's 79 year wait for Davis Cup victory
The titles kept on rolling in for Murray, who in 2015 spearheaded Great Britain to Davis Cup glory for the first time since 1936.
Competing alongside Kyle Edmund, Jamie Murray and James Ward in a final clash against Belgium, the then world No.2 secured a clean sweep against David Goffin, winning 6-3, 7-5, 6-3 to seal his nation’s 10th Davis Cup crown.
Murray finished his Davis Cup career having been a stalwart for his country, racking up a remarkable 42-10 win record in 25 ties.
The Queen's Club's greatest player
Murray's most successful tournament of course has been the Queen's Club Championships.
From claiming his first tour-level win back in 2005 to winning five singles and one doubles title, Murray has lit up West London for the best part of 19 years. In fact, Murray has never lost a final at the prestigous grass court event.
He has won more trophies at Queen's than any other player in history and it seemed only fitting that he would play his final singles match there in the summer of 2024.
Murray's title wins at Queen's:
- 2009 - beat James Blake (USA) 7-5, 6-4
- 2011 - beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4
- 2013 - beat Marin Čilić (CRO) 5-7, 7-5, 6-3
- 2015 - beat Kevin Anderson (RSA) 6-3, 6-4
- 2016 - beat Milos Raonic (CAN) 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3
- 2019 (with Feliciano Lopez) - beat Joe Salisbury (GBR) & Rajeev Ram (USA) 7-6(6), 5-7, 10-5
As a result of the incredible legacy he left behind at the tournament, we have announced that from 2025, the centre court seating arena at the LTA's London Championships at the Queen's Club, will be known as 'The Andy Murray Arena'.
The most decorated Sports Personality of the Year recipient
The 37-year-old’s status as Britain’s most successful sportsman is reinforced by his record-breaking three Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) awards, which he was awarded in 2013, 2015 and 2016 – following his most prosperous year.
He currently tops the recipient list for most number of SPOTY awards won, edging seven-time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton (2) and joins the likes of four other tennis greats who have also claimed the coveted award, such as Ann Jones (1969), Virginia Wade (1977), Greg Rusedksi (1997), Emma Raducanu (2021).
With so many monumental achievements to choose from Murray's career, have your say and vote your favourite: