Andy Murray is someone who can provide an honest evaluation of the experience of competing against one of the greatest tennis players in a high-profile match. Murray and Djokovic have faced each other 36 times in professional tennis, with Djokovic emerging as the victor in 25 of those matches compared to Murray’s 11 wins. Out of the 19 finals they’ve played against each other, Djokovic has come out on top 11 times. Seven of these finals have taken place at Grand Slam tournaments, with Murray managing to secure victories in only two of them – the 2012 US Open and Wimbledon in 2013.
As Djokovic nears the milestone of 100 titles, a feat previously achieved only by Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer, Murray was asked about the difficulty of facing him in a final, considering their careers have coincided. Murray acknowledged the immense challenge, stating that it becomes even tougher as Djokovic progresses in his career. Despite having faced Djokovic numerous times in finals and having grown up alongside him, Murray found it extremely difficult to compete against someone who has achieved so much success in recent years. For younger players who find themselves across the net from Djokovic in a final, the situation becomes even more daunting due to their limited experience in such high-stakes matches.
Murray also reflected on his own encounters with Federer and Rafael Nadal during their prime years, emphasizing the monumental task that young and upcoming players face when going up against these tennis greats. Murray mentioned his early experiences playing against Federer in his first US Open final and facing Nadal in later stages of tournaments when he was still relatively young. He highlighted that the intensity and pressure of facing these players in finals is incomparable to facing them in earlier rounds. Similarly, Murray believes that for the current generation of young players, competing against Djokovic in a final is an incredibly difficult feat, not just due to his exceptional tennis skills but also because of the mental strength and experience he possesses. Djokovic’s extensive accomplishments make it challenging for the younger players to overcome him on both the physical and psychological fronts.
According to the Source tennis365.com