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The Rise, Fall, and Second Wind: The roller coaster ride of Andy Murray

By Brandon Daniels

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 03: Andy Murray of Great Britain acknowledges the crowd as he celebrates victory after the Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan on day one of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 3, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 03: Andy Murray of Great Britain acknowledges the crowd as he celebrates victory after the Gentlemen's Singles first round match against Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan on day one of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 3, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) /
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Great Britain’s Andy Murray celebrates after winning the men’s singles gold medal match of the London 2012 Olympic Games by defeating Switzerland’s Roger Federer, at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on August 5, 2012. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages)
Great Britain’s Andy Murray celebrates after winning the men’s singles gold medal match of the London 2012 Olympic Games by defeating Switzerland’s Roger Federer, at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on August 5, 2012. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages) /

2012: First Grand Slam title and Gold Medal in London

Murray’s 2012 season was his true breakout form. He had consistently finished in the “second-tier” of players and had trouble defeating the Big 3, especially in Grand Slam events. After failing to reach the Australian Open finals to begin the year, he became the first British man to reach the Wimbledon finals since Bunny Austin in 1938.

He played a fantastic match against Federer and started off hot. After taking the first set 6-4, Murray failed to convert on four break-point chances early in the second set and eventually lost the set 7-5. It took the wind out of his sails and he lost the match in four sets.

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His Wimbledon revenge didn’t need to wait until the next year; The London Olympics were being held mere weeks later and Murray was set to represent the host country for the event. In singles, he lost only one set on his way to a straight-sets victory over Federer and became the first Brit to win the Gold since 1908.

Murray reached his second consecutive Grand Slam final and faced Novak Djokovic. It was a grueling 4-hour, 54-minute slugfest that saw the two players combine to break serve 17 times (Murray 8 times, Djokovic 9).

Murray looked to be in control after taking the first two sets 7-6, 7-5 but Djokovic battled back and sent the match into a fifth set. Murray stopped his skid and comfortably took the match, dropping his racket in disbelief and crouching to the ground as Djokovic ripped a forehand long. It was the first time a British male had won a Grand Slam in 76 years and put Murray on the map as one of the newly-dubbed “Big 4”.

He finished the year ranked third, marking the first time he finished a season with a ranking above 4th in the world.

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