Andy Murray described facing Novak Djokovic in a final as incredibly challenging, emphasizing that it’s not just about Djokovic’s skill but also the mental advantage he holds in big matches due to his remarkable success. Murray and Djokovic, both 36 years old, have formed one of the most captivating and top rivalries in men’s tennis. They have played against each other 36 times, with the majority of those matches occurring in finals or later stages of tournaments. Surprisingly, all of these meetings took place between 2006 and 2017, as Murray and Djokovic haven’t competed against each other since January 2017.
While Murray has achieved some success against Djokovic, the Serbian player still maintains a strong 25-11 head-to-head record against the Briton. However, eight of Murray’s 11 victories over Djokovic came in finals, whereas Djokovic emerged victorious in 11 out of their 19 final encounters. Despite having a losing record against Djokovic in finals, Murray managed to defeat him in the 2012 US Open final, securing his first Grand Slam title, and in the 2013 Wimbledon final, securing his second Grand Slam title.
Following two significant hip surgeries, Murray’s performance has declined in recent years, while Djokovic continues to excel and set new records. When asked about playing Djokovic in a final, Murray stated, “It’s obviously incredibly tough. In the latter stages of his career, I think he has become even stronger.” Murray acknowledged the difficulty of facing Djokovic in major competitions, particularly for younger players who lack experience in such situations. Murray highlighted Djokovic’s impressive achievements, including 24 majors and 98 titles, making it challenging for less experienced players to compete against him.
Former world No. 1 Murray was once among the best players in the game, consistently winning titles on the grandest stages. However, Murray’s success has waned in recent years, with the past few months being particularly challenging. After losing five of his last six matches in 2023, Murray began the 2024 season with four consecutive first-round exits. In a pre-tournament interview at the ATP 250 tournament in Doha, Murray admitted that this period is a completely new experience for him.
Murray expressed, “Tennis-wise, it hasn’t been a great start to the year. I’ve never experienced a period like this in my professional career. It’s been difficult, a new and unpleasant experience for me. However, I see it as an opportunity to learn and grow.” Murray hopes to turn his performance around and believes that overcoming this difficult period will make him stronger in the long run.
What adds to Murray’s bewilderment is the fact that he performs well during practice sessions but struggles to replicate that form in official matches. Murray confessed that this is an entirely new phenomenon for him. He explained, “I’ve never experienced playing exceptionally well in practice and failing to translate it to the match court before. It used to be the opposite for me. I wasn’t a great practice player, often losing practice matches and exhibition matches. Recently, it has been the complete opposite. I know I have better tennis within me than what I’m currently showing, and I’m hopeful that I can turn it around.”
In the upcoming Doha first round, Murray will aim to secure his first victory of the season against Alexandre Muller. Interestingly, this will be their second meeting, with their first encounter occurring in Doha last year. Murray staged an impressive comeback in that match, defeating Muller 4-6 6-1 6-2. Muller, ranked 73rd in the world, presents a favorable matchup for Murray and an opportunity for the three-time Grand Slam champion to secure his first win of the year.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org