Andy Murray

Andy is Dandy

March 25, 2008

Andy Murray brings a unique mix of supreme raw talent and an animated but controversial edge to men’s tennis. His attitude may have garnered him some unwelcome attention off the court, but on it Murray is attracting attention for all the right reasons.

The feisty 20-year old from Dunblane, Scotland has been on a tear since last year’s US Open tournament, compiling a 29-8 match record in that time and capturing three singles titles. Known for his fluid movement and smart, all-court vision, his 2008 campaign has been highlighted by a 15-4 record, a pair of championships in Doha and Marseille, and a huge upset victory over world No. 1 Roger Federer (Switzerland) in the opening round in Dubai.

It was not the first time Murray had posted a big upset over a top-ranked player. He arrived on the men’s tennis scene in 2006 after a stellar junior career in which he won the 2004 US Open Junior Tennis Championships and got as high as No. 2 in the junior rankings. He made his name known in February of that year when he recorded his first ever victory over a Top 10 player by defeating American Andy Roddick in the semifinals en route to his first career ATP title in San Jose. That triumph propelled him up the rankings and by the end of the season he sat comfortably inside the Top 20.

He continued his ascent last season, climbing into the Top 10 for the first time and reaching a career-high No. 8 in June. Since then he has hovered around the Top 10, showing signs of brilliance in one moment and crashing out the next.

For a few years, Murray’s career was eerily similar to the one Serbian Novak Djokovic was enjoying. Only seven days apart in age (Murray is older), they entered the Top 20, and then the Top 10, around the same time. But though he has accomplished more than most before his 21st birthday, Murray has yet to break into the upper echelon of the sport like Djokovic has. Hampered by injuries and inconsistent play, the young Scot is still waiting for his big breakthrough at a Masters Series or Grand Slam event. The closest he’s come was the semifinals on three different occasions, including twice last year at back-to-back Masters Series events in Indian Wells and Miami.

He’s back in Miami this week and heads into the Sony Ericsson Open with a lot of points to defend after his final four appearance one year ago. So far this season Murray is playing like he belongs at the top of the sport, and this week might just be his breakout party. No matter what the result is, Murray will be one of the favourites when the men roll into Toronto’s Rexall Centre in July.