From Madrid To London: Murray's Memorable Run To World No. 1

Mainad

Mainad

Bionic Poster
"The Dunblane native had trailed Novak Djokovic by 9,025 FedEx ATP Rankings points after losing to the Serb in the Mutua Madrid Open final in May, but that event proved to be the start of a remarkable run for Murray. From Madrid until the end of the season, Murray claimed 65 wins from 70 matches and reached 12 finals from 13 events."

Who else, in the history of tennis, has ever over-turned a points deficit of 9,000+ points in mid season to finish ahead of his main rival in the rankings?

www.atptour.com

From Madrid To London: Murray's Memorable Run To World No. 1 | ATP Tour | Tennis

ATPTour.com looks back at Andy Murray's impressive run of form in 2016, which led to the Brit finishing the season as year-end World No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.
www.atptour.com www.atptour.com

murray-nitto-atp-finals-2016-trophies.jpg
 
Last edited:
DSH

DSH

Talk Tennis Guru
Djokovic fans already believed that after the end of the US Open their idol was going to end the season as number 1 in the world.
Little did they know that the Knight of Dunblane was going to make the best season finale of the Open Era.
:cool:
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
Murray pulled off a very impressive achievement here. Wasn't Djokovic like 6,000 points ahead of him after RG? I'm not sure on the numbers, but it was a huge differential.

Murray's 2016 race to #1 is basically the definition of an underdog story. The results from Madrid to London in full:

Madrid: Final
Rome: Win
RG: Final
Queens: Win
Wimbledon: Win
Olympics: Win
Cincinnati: Final
USO: QF
Beijing: Win
Shanghai: Win
Vienna: Win
Paris: Win
ATP Finals: Win
 
mike danny

mike danny

Bionic Poster
Third Serve said:
Murray pulled off a very impressive achievement here. Wasn't Djokovic like 6,000 points ahead of him after RG? I'm not sure on the numbers, but it was a huge differential.

Murray's 2016 race to #1 is basically the definition of an underdog story. The results from Madrid to London in full:

Madrid: Final
Rome: Win
RG: Final
Queens: Win
Wimbledon: Win
Olympics: Win
Cincinnati: Final
USO: QF
Beijing: Win
Shanghai: Win
Vienna: Win
Paris: Win
ATP Finals: Win
Click to expand...
That USO QF loss stick like a sore thumb.
 
Phoenix1983

Phoenix1983

G.O.A.T.
Third Serve said:
Yeah, that was a huge missed opportunity for Murray. It was quite literally there for the taking. Under normal circumstances, that would have killed his run since it would be hard to rack up all the points needed to reach the top spot in the rankings. But then he won every tournament he entered after that.
Click to expand...

It all came down to the last match of the season, of course. I was in attendance at the O2 to see Murray comprehensively outplay Novak Djokovic to claim both the YE No 1 and ATP Finals trophies.
 
Sephiroth

Sephiroth

Hall of Fame
Third Serve said:
Murray pulled off a very impressive achievement here. Wasn't Djokovic like 6,000 points ahead of him after RG? I'm not sure on the numbers, but it was a huge differential.

Murray's 2016 race to #1 is basically the definition of an underdog story. The results from Madrid to London in full:

Madrid: Final
Rome: Win
RG: Final
Queens: Win
Wimbledon: Win
Olympics: Win
Cincinnati: Final
USO: QF
Beijing: Win
Shanghai: Win
Vienna: Win
Paris: Win
ATP Finals: Win
Click to expand...

Novak also reached the final of the USO so he had like 2 and a half slam worth of points, jeezus
 
HetTheGreaterer

HetTheGreaterer

Banned
Mainad said:
"The Dunblane native had trailed Novak Djokovic by 9,025 FedEx ATP Rankings points after losing to the Serb in the Mutua Madrid Open final in May, but that event proved to be the start of a remarkable run for Murray. From Madrid until the end of the season, Murray claimed 65 wins from 70 matches and reached 12 finals from 13 events."

Who else, in the history of tennis, has ever over-turned a points deficit of 9,000+ points in mid season to finish ahead of his main rival in the rankings?

www.atptour.com

From Madrid To London: Murray's Memorable Run To World No. 1 | ATP Tour | Tennis

ATPTour.com looks back at Andy Murray's impressive run of form in 2016, which led to the Brit finishing the season as year-end World No. 1 in the FedEx ATP Rankings.
www.atptour.com www.atptour.com

murray-nitto-atp-finals-2016-trophies.jpg
Click to expand...
Incredible clutch in so many matches from Murray. He was a possessed man
 
S

StrongRule

Talk Tennis Guru
Third Serve said:
Murray pulled off a very impressive achievement here. Wasn't Djokovic like 6,000 points ahead of him after RG? I'm not sure on the numbers, but it was a huge differential.

Murray's 2016 race to #1 is basically the definition of an underdog story. The results from Madrid to London in full:

Madrid: Final
Rome: Win
RG: Final
Queens: Win
Wimbledon: Win
Olympics: Win
Cincinnati: Final
USO: QF
Beijing: Win
Shanghai: Win
Vienna: Win
Paris: Win
ATP Finals: Win
Click to expand...
This run including a terrible performance in RG final and a loss to Nishikori in USO. Shows that Murray was very average at the slams in 2016, and his run is mostly based on BO3 tournaments. The win in WTF was definitely impressive though.
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

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StrongRule said:
This run including a terrible performance in RG final and a loss to Nishikori in USO. Shows that Murray was very average at the slams in 2016, and his run is mostly based on BO3 tournaments. The win in WTF was definitely impressive though.
Click to expand...
The RG performance wasn't "terrible". Mediocre, probably, but I don't think it was that bad.

Terrible in comparison to Nadal at RG, though? Perhaps.
 
RS

RS

Bionic Poster
StrongRule said:
This run including a terrible performance in RG final and a loss to Nishikori in USO. Shows that Murray was very average at the slams in 2016, and his run is mostly based on BO3 tournaments. The win in WTF was definitely impressive though.
Click to expand...
Djokovic was very average in the AO 2015 final and USO 2015 final right?
Nadal poor in the RG 2011 and 2014 finals right?
Med GOATing in the USO 19 final no?
 
S

StrongRule

Talk Tennis Guru
Third Serve said:
The RG performance wasn't "terrible". Mediocre, probably, but I don't think it was that bad.

Terrible in comparison to Nadal at RG, though? Perhaps.
Click to expand...
He totally collapsed after 40 minutes of the match. If this is not a terrible performance then I don't know what is.
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

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StrongRule said:
He totally collapsed after 40 minutes of the match. If this is not a terrible performance then I don't know what is.
Click to expand...
In my book, playing at least one very good set is enough to lift his performance above "terrible" status.

You have a strong tendency to exaggerate how bad people play. Maybe tone it down a little?
 
N

ND-13

Hall of Fame
Murray played well for his standards but let us not forget Federer was not around , Nadal was in the worst form of his life and Djoker couldn’t care less after the previous achievements and he had new found interest in Pepe Imaz
 
S

StrongRule

Talk Tennis Guru
Third Serve said:
In my book, playing at least one very good set is enough to lift his performance above "terrible" status.

You have a strong tendency to exaggerate how bad people play. Maybe tone it down a little?
Click to expand...
After the first set Murray totally collapsed, he just turned into an unforced errors machine. I don't remember many performances in slam finals which were that bad. And no, winning one set doesn't impress me. I can fully expect something better from the world number 2.

If he played like this against Nadal he would never stop getting bashed on this forum.
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

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StrongRule said:
After the first set Murray totally collapsed, he just turned into an unforced errors machine. I don't remember many performances in slam finals which were that bad. If he played like this against Nadal he would never stop getting bashed on this forum.
Click to expand...
You're repeating what you said before. I'm arguing that since he at least played one very good set, his final performance as a whole can't be called terrible. Below par, yes. Mediocre, yes. But if someone plays good tennis for a whole set (and takes that set as well), I can't call the whole performance terrible. Not sure what point you were trying to prove with the Nadal comment. Murray gets bashed plenty around here because he was Djokovic's primary opposition from 2014-2016.
 
RS

RS

Bionic Poster
Phoenix1983 said:
It all came down to the last match of the season, of course. I was in attendance at the O2 to see Murray comprehensively outplay Novak Djokovic to claim both the YE No 1 and ATP Finals trophies.
Click to expand...
How was Murray level in that match. Never saw it.
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

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BeatlesFan said:
Pete did in 1996. He played everything in order to secure another YE #1, which he did 6 straight years. Nobody else has ever done this.
Click to expand...
Key word being "dominated". Pete played a lot, but he lost multiple matches along the way, including a 2nd round defeat in Paris.
 
Mainad

Mainad

Bionic Poster
StrongRule said:
This run including a terrible performance in RG final and a loss to Nishikori in USO. Shows that Murray was very average at the slams in 2016, and his run is mostly based on BO3 tournaments. The win in WTF was definitely impressive though.
Click to expand...

Winning a Slam and making 2 other finals is an 'average' year at the Slams in your book?
 
D

Deleted member 748597

Guest
Djokovic after losing the YEC 2016 final and YE #1.

oscar-award-in-hand-1550846821.jpg
 
S

StrongRule

Talk Tennis Guru
Mainad said:
13 games >>>>>>>>>>>> 4 games.
Click to expand...
Third Serve said:
Seems like a bridge too far for me. At least Murray played one good set. Fed was terrible from start to finish in that final.
Click to expand...
So the opponent doesn't matter? Federer would have done better if he played against 2016 Djokovic instead of 2008 Nadal. After all, he somehow reached the final and at least physically he was fine. Don't see him losing to Murray who was totally dead after 40 minutes, especially in a slam final. (we know their history in slams)
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

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StrongRule said:
So the opponent doesn't matter? Federer would have done better if he played against 2016 Djokovic instead of 2008 Nadal. After all, he somehow reached the final and at least physically he was fine. Don't see him losing to Murray who was totally dead after 40 minutes, especially in a slam final. (we know their history in slams)
Click to expand...
Quit parroting the "he was dead after 40 minutes" narrative. It obviously doesn't apply here since Fed was dead after 0 minutes of the 08 final, Nadal or no Nadal.
 
S

StrongRule

Talk Tennis Guru
Third Serve said:
Quit parroting the "he was dead after 40 minutes" narrative. It obviously doesn't apply here since Fed was dead after 0 minutes of the 08 final, Nadal or no Nadal.
Click to expand...
No, physically Federer was fine. He obviously played a bad final, but part of it had to do with his tactics against Nadal, which he wouldn't use against other players, for sure not against Murray. And as bad as Federer was, this is not the worst he ever played in RG. His worst years there are 2013-2015, followed by 2012.
 
Third Serve

Third Serve

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StrongRule said:
No, physically Federer was fine. He obviously played a bad final, but part of it had to do with his tactics against Nadal, which he wouldn't use against other players, for sure not against Murray. And as bad as Federer was, this is not the worst he ever played in RG. His worst years there are 2013-2015, followed by 2012.
Click to expand...
I agree for the most part, actually, especially the bolded, but I still think he could have lost to 2008 Djokovic too if Nadal hadn't taken him out in the semis. His problem in 2008 wasn't just Nadal, although Fed's tactics against Nadal might have exaggerated how poorly he was playing. I stress the one good set Murray played because it would be enough to build up a strong lead over Federer (even stronger than his initial lead over Djokovic in the 2016 final, I might add).
 
S

StrongRule

Talk Tennis Guru
Third Serve said:
I agree for the most part, actually, especially the bolded, but I still think he could have lost to 2008 Djokovic too if Nadal hadn't taken him out in the semis. His problem in 2008 wasn't just Nadal, although Fed's tactics against Nadal might have exaggerated how poorly he was playing. I stress the one good set Murray played because it would be enough to build up a strong lead over Federer (even stronger than his initial lead over Djokovic in the 2016 final, I might add).
Click to expand...
Maybe. Djokovic was very strong during the 2008 clay season. He played well in both Hamburg and RG matches against Nadal. I have no idea how a final against Federer would go though.
 
King No1e

King No1e

G.O.A.T.
The grand finale of Murray's career arc. After all the hard work he put inching closer and closer, he finally reached the peak. Wimbledon champ, Olympic Gold, World Champion, and Year-End #1.
Slammed the door on the Djokovic fairytale run and put himself in the history books.

Followed by what has to be the quickest, most abrupt burnout I've ever seen in tennis. The rise to #1 had taken its toll physically and emotionally.
 
Fridge

Fridge

Professional
Not too surprised tbh. Fed was out after wimbledon. Nadal was trying to find form. Djokovic checked out after RG. Murray the deserved number 1 but he had to bust his ass off even when 2/3 big 3 members were basically done.
 
uscwang

uscwang

Hall of Fame
It was a good run, but an example of winning the battle losing the war.
2017 and 2018 could have been Murray's multi-slams years had he not burned himself out in 2016. The race between him and Novak ended at the 2017 Doha final, likely the last final between them, which effectively ended Murray's career and almost Novak's and started the last Fedal party.
 
Federev

Federev

Legend
Third Serve said:
Murray pulled off a very impressive achievement here. Wasn't Djokovic like 6,000 points ahead of him after RG? I'm not sure on the numbers, but it was a huge differential.

Murray's 2016 race to #1 is basically the definition of an underdog story. The results from Madrid to London in full:

Madrid: Final
Rome: Win
RG: Final
Queens: Win
Wimbledon: Win
Olympics: Win
Cincinnati: Final
USO: QF
Beijing: Win
Shanghai: Win
Vienna: Win
Paris: Win
ATP Finals: Win
Click to expand...
INSANE
 
RF-18

RF-18

Talk Tennis Guru
StrongRule said:
After the first set Murray totally collapsed, he just turned into an unforced errors machine. I don't remember many performances in slam finals which were that bad. And no, winning one set doesn't impress me. I can fully expect something better from the world number 2.

If he played like this against Nadal he would never stop getting bashed on this forum.
Click to expand...

Maybe it had to do with his road to the final where he was playing way too much tennis is and in the end didn't have much more gas. I remember during that final he turned to his team and said his legs are gone.
 
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