Andy Murray recently became the world number one, displacing a certain Novak Djokovic from the top and shaking up the status quo in the men’s singles. With that, he became the oldest first-time No.1 since 30-year old John Newcombe in June 1974.
What Murray has achieved in his career, especially under the constant glare of the British media, is nothing short of herculean. Here's a look at a few happenings in his early career that were indications to his No.1 potential -
1) Won the U-12 Orange Bowl Title
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In 1999, Murray won the U-12 title at the most prestigious event outside the Grand Slams for juniors, the Junior Orange Bowl. It is regarded as an indicator of a junior’s future, and Murray took the trophy there, perhaps signaling for better things in the future.
2) Won an ITF Futures title at only 16
In September 2003, Andy Murray won his first title at the senior level when he won the Glasgow Futures at just sixteen years old. He was then the 6th youngest player ever to win a Futures title, with only the likes of Nadal & Djokovic to have done it at a younger age.
3) Won the US Open Junior title in 2004
For a junior tennis player, winning a junior grand slam title is the ultimate dream. Andy Murray achieved that in 2004 when he became the first British player to win the US Open Junior title. Later that year, he also won the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award. This registered his name as a definitive player to look out for.
4) Reached the 3rd round at Wimbledon – ranked 312... and he was a teenager!
Entering the tournament as a wildcard, Murray caught everyone's eye by becoming the first Scot to reach the third round at Wimbledon, when he defeated 14th seed Radek Stepanek in straight sets. He lost to David Nalbandian in the 3rd round, after having led two sets to love, due to cramping and fatigue.
5) Reached his first tour-level final at age 18
After his heroics at Wimbledon, Murray reached the final of the Thailand Open later that year, only losing to The Roger Federer in a well contested final.
6) Won his first ATP title in San Jose at 21
Murray managed to put together a stellar title run at the 2006 SAP Open, beating Robin Soderling in the quarter final, Any Roddick in the semi-final, & Lleyton Hewitt in the final, to win his first ATP title. The final was decided by deciding set tiebreaker, which Murray won quite comfortably, which confirmed his ability to step up his game at crucial moments.
7) Won his first Masters title at 21
In 2008, Murray won his first Masters title in Cincinnati, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final in straight sets. In a battle of 21-year olds and future rivals, Murray earned a hugely significant victory, as Djokovic had beaten him four times in their last five encounters. This win made Murray a serious force to be reckoned with on tour.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
