Whenever the day comes for Andy Murray to put down his racket for the final time, he’ll do so with enough happy memories to last a lifetime.
He’s scaled heights that few can dream of reaching – in an era where Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have made it virtually impossible for anybody else to get a look in.
Murray is a Knight of the Realm, with his exploits rightly being recognised with a ‘Sir’ moniker, and the only man to have won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award on three occasions.
Targets
History has been made, but there are still targets for him to chase down.
Murray isn’t done yet and welcomed in 2024 with ambition burning as brightly as ever. Trips Down Under haven’t always been kind to him over the years, with Melbourne Park littered with tales of what could have been, but he’ll keep on coming back for more.
Australian Open betting odds are no longer weighted in his favour, with all-time Grand Slam title leader Djokovic still sitting at the top of that chart, but a price of 250/1 will appeal to some.
Glory Days
Back in his prime, Murray was one of the best to ever do it. His glory days may not be as frequent as they once were, with a metal hip contributing significantly to a change in his performance, but the fiery Scot is a force to be reckoned with once the adrenalin starts pumping and momentum is established. He’s determined to remain in contention for major honours, with there a couple of notable milestones that he’d like to reach before thoughts begin to turn towards calling it a day.
Murray has said: “There are lots of small goals. I’ve won 46 tournaments as a pro and I’d like to get to 50. I’ve had 700-and-something career wins and I’d like to win 800.”
Murray has emerged victorious in more than 730 of the matches that he’s taken in throughout a glittering career, with his last title being won at the 2019 European Open in Belgium. He’s made three more ATP Tour finals since then while emerging victorious in three Challenger events during 2023.
Those efforts prove that Murray can still climb to the top of the mountain and that no goal should be considered out of reach.
Ambitious
Hitting the 800-win mark may be a little ambitious, with his schedule having to be managed carefully, but Murray has shown down the years that he should never be written off.
Reaching a half-century on the ATP Tour finals front could be considered realistic, with there enough events on the calendar to suggest that he can make serious runs at four of those in the weeks and months to come.
It would be fitting if Murray were to claim triumph No.50 before walking away, with the two-time Olympic gold medal winner already assured of standing among the immortals in men’s tennis.
