Neil Harman in The Times:
What more does he have to do? Climb Everest? Put his name down for I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here? Do a Felix Baumgartner? Renounce Scotland?
As Andy Murray departed the O2 arena on Sunday night, ready for a few days’ rest before he dons his running shoes and punishes his body more in his December training block, he did so having bitten his lip when he was asked about the response of the crowd before, during and after his defeat by Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.
Of all the iconic sounds he has heard in 2012, that of New Yorkers in wild celebration of his grand-slam tournament breakthrough, of Australians urging him to another charge at Novak Djokovic in their tumultuous semi-final in January, the strains of the national anthem across Centre Court on gold-medal day, those are the noises that will resonate. Of the tin-heads who barracked him for changing a racket during the first tie-break on Sunday, those he can (try to) forget.
What a shame, though, that a year when he delivered so fully on his GHod- given talents, ended with a home crowd wanting the other chap to win. Not everyone, of course but a marked majority. This event is a celebration of extraordinary talents as much as anything else and Federer has enriched his sport more than anyone in the past decade and received his just deserts from a country that embraces his standards and standing perhaps more than anywhere except Switzerland.
Yes, Murray has been a bit of a bore; he still chides himself probably more than any other player at the highest level, openly, outwardly, aggressively, often shockingly. He wants to win so badly. He utters loud swearwords (I have heard Federer berate himself but he disguises it as beautifully as he moves). My goodness, sometimes Murray’s hair is a mess and he has a bit of stubble whereas Federer is so wonderfully neat and he has a $1 million Gillette contract. Now what else can we have a go at Murray about? Ah yes, he’s from Scotland. Can’t ever let him forget that.
Many of my relations are American and they would acknowledge that they may not be able to pinpoint immediately and exactly where Scotland is on the globe. Thus, when Murray won the US Open in September, it was because of his heroics, because they knew he had striven so hard, because it had been such an exhilarating match, because he had tried and tried and finally made it, that they went mad for him. I am actually rather glad he won there first. Americans “get” Murray. We don’t.
Even Federer was a little taken aback. “Well, we have played here twice before, and twice the crowds were amazing, electric, and sometimes even in my favour,” he said. “So today was somewhat similar again.”
The antipathy towards Murray from sections of the audience at the O2 deadened what ought to have been an occasion to savour. He knew it, though would not say it for reasons of diplomatic nicety. What would be the point in further antagonising those who are antagonistic towards you in the first place?
But as this tennis year draws to a close, it is worth recalling that, in November 2011, I canvassed fellow tennis writers at the O2 with the question “Can Andy Murray win a grand-slam tournament?” and they were unanimous that he could, with requisite reservations about his mental strength, whether he took to his forehand aggressively enough, with suggestions as to who might coach him (no one said Ivan Lendl) and in the case of one, whether he might make an appointment with a psychiatrist.
Well, he has stepped up mentally, he has stepped up the power on his forehand, he stepped up with the call to a coach who has spoken to him with authority and has had a captive audience from the first day, and has spoken not to a psychiatrist, but a psychologist, Alexis Castorri, who recently, rather perceptively, said: “I have heard that Andy hasn’t always been fully supported by the whole of the UK but he is tenacious and sticks to his mission. After the way he spoke when he lost the Wimbledon final, perhaps more people have warmed to him, because he was revealing a side of himself that they hadn’t seen before.” It would have been reasonable to think so, Alexis.
From that day to this, Murray has become an Olympic champion, showed enormous fortitude and believed in his game entirely.
To triumph at the US Open, after which he may not have won a title but has delivered abundant evidence of his qualities, completing the year as the No 3 player in the world and thoroughly earning a bit of peace and quiet that is all too rare in the harum-scarum world of the tennis professional. The lack of appreciation for him at the O2 on Sunday was truly alarming.
It was even suggested on Twitter yesterday that the reaction was so outrageous as to prove a disincentive for other British players to take up the sport. I can only hope and believe that that is not so.
Murray’s 2012
Played 72. Won 56. Lost 16
Titles: 3
Brisbane (bt Alexandr Dolgopolov)
Olympic Games (bt Roger Federer); also won silver medal in mixed doubles with Laura Robson
US Open (bt Novak Djokovic in final)
Grand-slam record
Australian Open Semi-finals (lost to Djokovic)
French Open Quarter-finals (lost to David Ferrer)
Wimbledon Final (lost to Federer)
US Open Winner (bt Djokovic)
Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Semi-finals (lost to Federer)
Prize money $5,124,230 (£3,227,861)
World ranking 3
