Class Act

On Sunday 7 September 2008, Andy Murray lost in straight sets to Roger Federer in the US Open Final. At 21, Murray looked destined for a glittering career, laden with Grand Slam titles. He had beaten Rafael Nadal in that year’s semi-final and it appeared that even at this young age, he would almost certainly become Britain’s first male Grand Slam winner since 1936.

Fast-forward to Friday 27 January 2012 and that dream is yet to be realised. Murray has spent the intervening 4 years watching Nadal, Federer, Novak Djokovic and even Juan Martin Del Potro win grand slams. Murray has mustered only two more final appearances, both of which ended in straight sets defeats. However this past Friday, Murray played the single-greatest match of his career so far and in 5 hours seemed to make monumental strides as a tennis player. The fact that he lost only highlights the accomplishments he has already made, whilst suggesting that tennis will unlikely see such incredible strength in depth again when Messrs Nadal, Federer and Djokovic finally hang up their rackets.

British fans often seem to lose the sense of perspective when they call Murray a failure or question his nerve when he loses a final. The man is the fourth best at what he does in the world; in how many other sports can our small island boast that?

Murray’s major defeats have come against some true legends: arguably the greatest tennis player of all time (Federer); the player who now beats the greatest player of all time whenever they play (Nadal); and against the current world number one (Djokovic) who last year won 70 out of the 76 matches he played. At every Grand Slam Murray enters he will not just have be outrageously talented to win, for that is not good enough. He will need to be a genius, and maintain that level of tennis wizardry for five sets – twice.

Those who see his lack of Grand Slam titles as an indelible mark on his record are foolish. Murray is taking heed of Samuel Beckett’s great words “Try again. Fail Again. Fail Better”. As Friday showed Murray can fail no better and at 24 his future is still as bright as it was on that warm September night in New York.