The 29-year-old British champion won in the Italian Open, Queen’s Club, Wimbledon and Rio Olympics. Here’s a reminder of his journey to becoming a three-time Grand Slam victor. And as things head to the final major of the year, things are looking interesting. Using Opta data we look at the best stats at Flushing Meadows. A reunion with Murray in the semi-finals is certainly not out of the question.
Advertisement
He’s a 2-time US Open semifinalist but this year he’s just been so up-and-down. He won twice the title in 2011 and 2015. But things might move back on the right track in NY as it’s known that the hardcourt is the Serb’s favorite game surface.
Ahead of Monday’s start to the season’s final Grand Slam in NY, the 29-year-old Scot is the sport’s man of the moment.
Serena’s response? She took gender out of it: “I prefer the words ‘one of the greatest athletes of all time.'” We like the sound of that. But the quick courts, decent crowd support all should help, so what’s the issue? “His consistency – what I’ve done for, like, the last four months, he’s been doing for, like, the whole year”, Murray said. Four weeks later, he thrashed Federer to win Olympic gold on the same court. It was fitting that it should happen in such dramatic circumstances after his tortuous journey.
Despite the uncertainty, Williams said the pressure level seemed lower. But he seized his chance in the decider with Djokovic ailing physically and became Britain’s first male Grand Slam singles champion since Fred Perry in 1936.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic and fellow two-time victor Rafael Nadal were drawn for a potential US Open semi-final clash yesterday. Novak Djokovic is “getting there”.
The German’s potential semi-final opponent comes from a more impressive quarter that includes third-seeded French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, Olympic champion Monica Puig, Briton Johanna Konta and big-hitting American Madison Keys, the eighth seed. The giant Argentine knocked Wawrinka out of Wimbledon this year. However, she is in severe danger of losing the No.1 ranking over the next two weeks with her main challenger the world No.2, Angelique Kerber.
The No 1 spot is the most coveted for a sportsperson.
ALSO READ: Rafael Nadal aiming for Australian Open title?
With the impending arrival of his first child, Murray’s mind appeared to be elsewhere, as was his ball-striking.
“I have not played a lot, I haven’t practiced a lot, but I’m just now starting to feel a little better”.
Mary Joe Fernandez, an ESPN commentator and U.S. Fed Cup captain who also coached the U.S. team at the Rio Games, agreed the ranking means a lot to Williams. While she had more success earlier in her career in the Grand Slams than in other tour events, that pattern had reversed in the last couple of years.
Murray’s service game had been impeccable in reaching the final, but it was his downfall in the end as the world No 1 came storming back to win 59 per cent of return points on second serve and finally claim the one title that had alluded him for so long.
Advertisement
The hard-serving American has only played seven tournaments this year, with a third-round exit from the Rio Olympic singles and a first-round elimination from the Rio doubles with sister Venus her only tournament action since Wimbledon.
