ARJAN SINGH "GARGAJJ"
Revolutionary and Journalist (1905-1963)
Was born the son of Sundar Singh Ramgarhia, an artisan of Tarn Taran, in Amritsar district of the Punjab, in 1905. In 1919, when he was studying in class VI, young Arjan Singh was expelled from school for refusing to salute the Union Jack, imperial standard of the British rulers. Undaunted, he plunged into the Akali agitation launched in 1920. He left home soon after and took up residence in the office of the Gargajj (lit. thunderous) Akali Diwan established by Jathedar Teja Singh Bhuchchar. This earned him the epithet "Gargajj".
Arjan Singh was arrested in April 1922 on a charge of publicly reciting a seditious poem and sent to jail for six months the youngest Akali prisoner.
Again in 1923, after the Shiromani Akali Dal as well as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had been outlawed in the wake of the Nabha agitation, Arjan Singh was taken into custody and awarded one-year imprisonment, but was not released until September 1926, when orders banning the Akali Dal were withdrawn. From the Akali Dal, he went across to Naujawan Bharat Sabha, an organization of young socialist revolutionaries. He became a member of the editorial staff of the Kirti, a professedly leftist magazine founded in February 1926 by Santokh Singh, a Ghadr revolutionary. He was imprisoned for his anti-government writings in 1929 and, again, in 1930.
Speech-making was banned for him in 1931, and in 1932 he was interned in the town of Tarn Taran. After briefly serving as sub-editor of the Babar Sher and chief editor of the Cartoon, he joined the Akili as a sub-editor in 1935.
He suffered imprisonment for his political convictions even after Independence and worked on newspapers such as Jahg-i Azadi and Nawah Zamana. His three published works, all in Punjabi, are Do Pair Ghatt Turna, Shahid de Bol and Mera Apna Ap.
Arjan Singh Gargajj died on 10 March 1963
Showing posts with label A. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A. Show all posts
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
PROMINENT 18 th CENTURY SIKHS
AJMER SINGH (CHHATTEANA)
AJMER SINGH was the name given a seventeenth century Muslim recluse of Chhatteana, a village in present day Faridkot district of the Punjab, as he received the initiatory rites of the Khalsa. His original name was Ibrahim, popularly shortened to Brahmi or Bahmi. According to an old chronicle, Malva Desh Ratan di Sakhi Potbi, Ibrahim had himself dug a grave, duly lined with brick and mortar into which he intended to descend, through a hole he had kept for the purpose, when his time came.
But when he met Guru Gobind Singh, who had come to Chhatteana after the battle of Muktsar (1705), he was so deeply moved that he requested to be admitted to the Khalsa fold. The Guru, says Bhai Santokh Singh, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, observed, "Being a Muslim desiring with conviction to join the Khalsa Panth, you are setting a good example. Among the Khalsa it is only proper that every one, high or low, take the pahul (baptism of the double edged sword)." Ibrahim received the pahul at the hands of Bhai Man Singh, and the Guru gave him his new name, Ajmer Singh. Ajmer Singh diligently learnt the Sikh prayers which he regularly recited morning and evening.
References :
PUNJABI POETS
JASBIR SINGH AHLUWALIA
AHLUWALIA, JASBIR SINGH Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia,(1935 - ) born in 1935, is a leading radical Punjabi poet. He had a post-graduate degree in English and got his doctorate for his thesis on New conception of Reality, and got into the Punjab Civil Service. He came on deputation to Punjabi University, Patiala for some time as Director, Planning and Development (Punjabi). He worked as Director, Punjab State University Text Book Board, and Secretary, Punjab Education Board for brief terms. He knocked his way into the field of experimentalist as a departure from the dominant school of Punjabi poetry, the Progressives, the leaders of which, Mohan Singh and Amrita Pritam, received his particular attention.
Denigrating the progressive poetry of his school as a mixture of romanticism and socialist propaganda, he declared it to have became outworn with the achievement of independence and the subsequent launching of the Indian Government's five-year plans, to build an industrial society. The imagery and the use of figures of speech like metonym of the Mohan Singh-Amrita Pritam school depended, as he correctly noticed, too much on the humanisation of nature, in the way of the English romantics of the early 19th century, to which socialist slogans were added. Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia pointed out that poetry in the new industrial economy building up in the Indian Union needed a new imagery and a new rhetoric, and the new human being was no longer a romantic dreamer of independence, freedom and social equality, but a split personality torn between the old feudal mode of living and thinking and the new conditions taking shape in the process of industrialisation.This society needed a poetry that should not make man look back towards a pastoral age but bring him to grip with the rapidly spreading industrial milieu.
He called the kind of verse that he was himself experimenting with the suit the new age Prayogvadi (experimentalist), taking its imagery from life in the factory, the commercial establishments and from the mental situation created by its compulsions. He made a powerful impact on his immediate and younger contemporaries who seemed to be in a rush to unite under the new banner. He sought to strengthen the new imagery by connecting it with old and pristine legend, thus eliminating the pastoral, feudal age altogether. His first collection of poems was entitled Kagaz da Ravana (The Paper Demon), which was followed by Koor Raja Koor Par/a (False King False Subjects) and Sach ki Bela (The Moment of Truth). The last two title are taken from Guru Nanak's hymns which are in their own by repudiations of the ethos and thinking of the feudal age.
Of these poems, the main characteristics are intellectual irony and a cynical attitude towards progressive and popular political and social ideas and movements. He chooses to call his mode and manner of writing radical realism, to distinguished it from the more prevalent progressivism often confused by its critics with socialist realism. AHLUWALIA'S WORKS ENGLISH: Marxism and Contemporary Reality, Punjabi Literature in Perspective. Tradition and Experiment in Modern Punjabi Poetry. Trends in Modern Literature. The Sovereignty of Sikh Doctrine. PUNJABI: Anubhav-te-Alochana (Experience and Criticism, 1961). Miri-Piri da Sidhant (The Doctrine of Temporal and Religious Power.) Prayogsil Punjabi Kavita (Experimental Punjabi Poetry). Sikh Falsfe di Bhumika (A Preface to Sikh Philosophy).
AHLUWALIA, JASBIR SINGH Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia,(1935 - ) born in 1935, is a leading radical Punjabi poet. He had a post-graduate degree in English and got his doctorate for his thesis on New conception of Reality, and got into the Punjab Civil Service. He came on deputation to Punjabi University, Patiala for some time as Director, Planning and Development (Punjabi). He worked as Director, Punjab State University Text Book Board, and Secretary, Punjab Education Board for brief terms. He knocked his way into the field of experimentalist as a departure from the dominant school of Punjabi poetry, the Progressives, the leaders of which, Mohan Singh and Amrita Pritam, received his particular attention.
Denigrating the progressive poetry of his school as a mixture of romanticism and socialist propaganda, he declared it to have became outworn with the achievement of independence and the subsequent launching of the Indian Government's five-year plans, to build an industrial society. The imagery and the use of figures of speech like metonym of the Mohan Singh-Amrita Pritam school depended, as he correctly noticed, too much on the humanisation of nature, in the way of the English romantics of the early 19th century, to which socialist slogans were added. Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia pointed out that poetry in the new industrial economy building up in the Indian Union needed a new imagery and a new rhetoric, and the new human being was no longer a romantic dreamer of independence, freedom and social equality, but a split personality torn between the old feudal mode of living and thinking and the new conditions taking shape in the process of industrialisation.This society needed a poetry that should not make man look back towards a pastoral age but bring him to grip with the rapidly spreading industrial milieu.
He called the kind of verse that he was himself experimenting with the suit the new age Prayogvadi (experimentalist), taking its imagery from life in the factory, the commercial establishments and from the mental situation created by its compulsions. He made a powerful impact on his immediate and younger contemporaries who seemed to be in a rush to unite under the new banner. He sought to strengthen the new imagery by connecting it with old and pristine legend, thus eliminating the pastoral, feudal age altogether. His first collection of poems was entitled Kagaz da Ravana (The Paper Demon), which was followed by Koor Raja Koor Par/a (False King False Subjects) and Sach ki Bela (The Moment of Truth). The last two title are taken from Guru Nanak's hymns which are in their own by repudiations of the ethos and thinking of the feudal age.
Of these poems, the main characteristics are intellectual irony and a cynical attitude towards progressive and popular political and social ideas and movements. He chooses to call his mode and manner of writing radical realism, to distinguished it from the more prevalent progressivism often confused by its critics with socialist realism. AHLUWALIA'S WORKS ENGLISH: Marxism and Contemporary Reality, Punjabi Literature in Perspective. Tradition and Experiment in Modern Punjabi Poetry. Trends in Modern Literature. The Sovereignty of Sikh Doctrine. PUNJABI: Anubhav-te-Alochana (Experience and Criticism, 1961). Miri-Piri da Sidhant (The Doctrine of Temporal and Religious Power.) Prayogsil Punjabi Kavita (Experimental Punjabi Poetry). Sikh Falsfe di Bhumika (A Preface to Sikh Philosophy).
MAVERICKS OF HISTORY
ABDUL RASUL KASHMIRI
ABDUL RASUL KASHMIRI, a native of Srinagar who was in trade at Amritsar as a shawl merchant, was for a time a close confidant of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Sikh King of the Punjab deposed by the British in 1849. Kashmir! acted as the deposed Maharaja`s liaison man with governments of Turkey and Egypt. In 1860, `Abdul Rasul moved from India to Egypt, and thence to London where he joined the Nile expeditionary force as an interpreter. Owing to his secret connection with the Mahdi, he was discharged from the service. He was again in England to seek redress when he met the deposed Maharaja Duleep Singh who employed him to further his cause. When Duleep Singh returned from Aden to Europe he sent for `Abdul Rasul from London to Paris and through him met Assud Pasha, the Turkish ambassador in Paris.Abdul Rasul travelled to Constantinople with a view to contacting the Caliph. Through his good offices Duleep Singh seems to have befriended Patrick Casey, an Irishman, whose passport he used when travelling from Paris to Russia.
Summoned by the Maharaja, Abdul Rasul also arrived in Moscow and campaigned to rally the local Muslims to his cause. Early in 1890, Duleep Singh sent him to India. He was arrested on board the ship and upon landing in Bombay despatched to Asirgarh Fort for detention. A few months later, he was released and provided passage to go to London. In March 1892, `Abdul Rasul sued Maharaja Duleep Singh in a Paris court seeking a life pension for the services he had rendered him.
ABDUL RASUL KASHMIRI, a native of Srinagar who was in trade at Amritsar as a shawl merchant, was for a time a close confidant of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Sikh King of the Punjab deposed by the British in 1849. Kashmir! acted as the deposed Maharaja`s liaison man with governments of Turkey and Egypt. In 1860, `Abdul Rasul moved from India to Egypt, and thence to London where he joined the Nile expeditionary force as an interpreter. Owing to his secret connection with the Mahdi, he was discharged from the service. He was again in England to seek redress when he met the deposed Maharaja Duleep Singh who employed him to further his cause. When Duleep Singh returned from Aden to Europe he sent for `Abdul Rasul from London to Paris and through him met Assud Pasha, the Turkish ambassador in Paris.Abdul Rasul travelled to Constantinople with a view to contacting the Caliph. Through his good offices Duleep Singh seems to have befriended Patrick Casey, an Irishman, whose passport he used when travelling from Paris to Russia.
Summoned by the Maharaja, Abdul Rasul also arrived in Moscow and campaigned to rally the local Muslims to his cause. Early in 1890, Duleep Singh sent him to India. He was arrested on board the ship and upon landing in Bombay despatched to Asirgarh Fort for detention. A few months later, he was released and provided passage to go to London. In March 1892, `Abdul Rasul sued Maharaja Duleep Singh in a Paris court seeking a life pension for the services he had rendered him.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
PROMINENT SIKH WOMEN
AGYA KAUR, BIBI
AGYA KAUR. BIBI (d. 1918), wife of Bhai Takht Singh and his helpmate in promoting women's education among Sikhs to which cause he was passionately devoted, was the daughter of Sardar Tek Singh of the village of Sultanpur, near Rahim Yar Khan railway station in the princely state of Bahawalpur. She had been a resident student at the Sikh girls school, at Firozpur, founded in 1892 and nurtured by Bhai Takht Singh. Agya Kaur had studied at the Mahavidyala up to the high school level. Bhai Takht Singh's first wife Harnam Kaur who was a co-builder of the school died in 1906.
He approached Agya Kaur's father to ask for her hand to be his ally in the enterprise he had launched upon.The nuptials took place at Sultanpur on 17 September 1910. On 1617 February 1911, Bibi (lady) Agya Kaur left with her husband on a tour of some South Asian countries to raise funds for the school. At Sikh gatherings and at divans at the gurdwaras, she recited holy hymns, kirtan, and made fervent appeals for donations, for their nascent school.
Returning to Punjab on 3 March 1912, she resumed her duties at the Mahavidyala as a teacher and as a matron of the hostel. She was taken ill with influenza during the epidemic of 1918, aggravated in her case by an attack of pneumonia. She died on 27 October 1918. She left behind four children, one other daughters rising to the position of Director of Public Instruction in Punjab.
AGYA KAUR. BIBI (d. 1918), wife of Bhai Takht Singh and his helpmate in promoting women's education among Sikhs to which cause he was passionately devoted, was the daughter of Sardar Tek Singh of the village of Sultanpur, near Rahim Yar Khan railway station in the princely state of Bahawalpur. She had been a resident student at the Sikh girls school, at Firozpur, founded in 1892 and nurtured by Bhai Takht Singh. Agya Kaur had studied at the Mahavidyala up to the high school level. Bhai Takht Singh's first wife Harnam Kaur who was a co-builder of the school died in 1906.
He approached Agya Kaur's father to ask for her hand to be his ally in the enterprise he had launched upon.The nuptials took place at Sultanpur on 17 September 1910. On 1617 February 1911, Bibi (lady) Agya Kaur left with her husband on a tour of some South Asian countries to raise funds for the school. At Sikh gatherings and at divans at the gurdwaras, she recited holy hymns, kirtan, and made fervent appeals for donations, for their nascent school.
Returning to Punjab on 3 March 1912, she resumed her duties at the Mahavidyala as a teacher and as a matron of the hostel. She was taken ill with influenza during the epidemic of 1918, aggravated in her case by an attack of pneumonia. She died on 27 October 1918. She left behind four children, one other daughters rising to the position of Director of Public Instruction in Punjab.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
PROMINENT 19 th CENTURY SIKHS
RAJA AJIT SINGH
Ruler of Ladva State
Was born the son of Gurdit Singh who had acquired territory around Thanesar after the conquest by Sikhs in 1764 of the Mughal province of Sirhind. Gurdit Singh, who belonged to the same clan as Ranjit Singh, originally came from the village of Vein Poin, about 15 km south of Amritsar, and was a member of the Karorsinghia misl or confederacy. In addition to his other acquisitions, Gurdit Singh received in jagir from Maharaja Ranjit Singh the village of Baddoval, near Ludhiana. After Gurdit Singh's death, Ajit Singh succeeded him as ruler of the Ladva state. Ajit Singh, like his father, continued to be an ally of Ranjit Singh in his campaigns of conquest and received favours from him. He built a bridge over the River Sarasvad at Thanesar, and received the title of Raja from Lord Auckland, the British governor-general of India.
In the first Anglo-Sikh war, Ajit Singh fought on the side of the Sikhs against the British. He along with Ranjodh Singh Majithia crossed the Sutlej at Phillaur with a force of 8,000 men and 70 guns. In rapid marches Ajit Singh and Ranjodh Singh seized the forts of Fatehgarh, Dharamkot, and Baddoval, and stole into Ludhiana cantonment, setting many of the barracks on fire. In the action fought on 21 January 1846 at Baddoval, Sir Henry Smith's column was attacked and more than 200 of his men were slain. But Ajit Singh suffered a defeat in the action fought in Aliwal after a week (28 January) and fled the battlefield. Ajit Singh's estates were confiscated by the British in 1846 and he was arrested and detained at Allahabad. He, however, contrived to escape after killing his keeper and after long wanderings is supposed to have died in Kashmir.
Ruler of Ladva State
Was born the son of Gurdit Singh who had acquired territory around Thanesar after the conquest by Sikhs in 1764 of the Mughal province of Sirhind. Gurdit Singh, who belonged to the same clan as Ranjit Singh, originally came from the village of Vein Poin, about 15 km south of Amritsar, and was a member of the Karorsinghia misl or confederacy. In addition to his other acquisitions, Gurdit Singh received in jagir from Maharaja Ranjit Singh the village of Baddoval, near Ludhiana. After Gurdit Singh's death, Ajit Singh succeeded him as ruler of the Ladva state. Ajit Singh, like his father, continued to be an ally of Ranjit Singh in his campaigns of conquest and received favours from him. He built a bridge over the River Sarasvad at Thanesar, and received the title of Raja from Lord Auckland, the British governor-general of India.
In the first Anglo-Sikh war, Ajit Singh fought on the side of the Sikhs against the British. He along with Ranjodh Singh Majithia crossed the Sutlej at Phillaur with a force of 8,000 men and 70 guns. In rapid marches Ajit Singh and Ranjodh Singh seized the forts of Fatehgarh, Dharamkot, and Baddoval, and stole into Ludhiana cantonment, setting many of the barracks on fire. In the action fought on 21 January 1846 at Baddoval, Sir Henry Smith's column was attacked and more than 200 of his men were slain. But Ajit Singh suffered a defeat in the action fought in Aliwal after a week (28 January) and fled the battlefield. Ajit Singh's estates were confiscated by the British in 1846 and he was arrested and detained at Allahabad. He, however, contrived to escape after killing his keeper and after long wanderings is supposed to have died in Kashmir.
PROMINENT 19 th CENTURY SIKHS
AROOR SINGH
Maharaja Daleep Singh's Personal Attendant
Maharaja Duleep Singh's personal attendant and confidant, belonged to the village of Kohali, in Amritsar district. He was one of the five Sikhs who administered pahul or Sikh initiatory rites to Maharaja Duleep Singh at Aden on 25 May 1886. From Aden, Arur Singh accompanied the Maharaja to Europe.
In 1887, Arur Singh was sent by the Maharaja to India as his accredited ambassador. He carried with him five letters from Duleep Singh, one of them addressed to the princes of India and another to the King of Oudh. At Pondicherry, he stayed with Thakur Singh Sandhanvalia.As he reached Calcutta in pursuit of his mission, he was betrayed by a professed supporter of the Maharaja and arrested. He was sent to the Chunar Fort where he was detained for three years.
In government reports Arur Singh was described as a Europeanized Sikh whose hospitality requirements in jail ran to "some ice, brandy, claret and Vichy water." He was released from prison on 15 December 1890, with permission to return to England if he so wished.
Maharaja Daleep Singh's Personal Attendant
Maharaja Duleep Singh's personal attendant and confidant, belonged to the village of Kohali, in Amritsar district. He was one of the five Sikhs who administered pahul or Sikh initiatory rites to Maharaja Duleep Singh at Aden on 25 May 1886. From Aden, Arur Singh accompanied the Maharaja to Europe.
In 1887, Arur Singh was sent by the Maharaja to India as his accredited ambassador. He carried with him five letters from Duleep Singh, one of them addressed to the princes of India and another to the King of Oudh. At Pondicherry, he stayed with Thakur Singh Sandhanvalia.As he reached Calcutta in pursuit of his mission, he was betrayed by a professed supporter of the Maharaja and arrested. He was sent to the Chunar Fort where he was detained for three years.
In government reports Arur Singh was described as a Europeanized Sikh whose hospitality requirements in jail ran to "some ice, brandy, claret and Vichy water." He was released from prison on 15 December 1890, with permission to return to England if he so wished.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
WOMEN WRITERS OF INDIA
ASHAPURNA DEVI-I
Ashapurna Devi is an Jnanapeeth awardee and well known writer . She grew up in Calcutta, where her father was an artist. Married at a young age, in a traditional Bengali family, Ashapurna could not finish her school education. But she had an inclination to literary activities. At home she read different Bengali magazines and books.
Asha Devi wrote her first stories during 1930`s, for adolescents. Her first story was published in 1937, The Husband`s Lover, in which she touched the changing and contradictory expectations of men from women - as traditional, obedient wives and at the same time, as stimulating, glamorous lovers to show-off to others. She is known for her strong female characters.
Some times some critics have downplayed the importance of her writing, calling her the "kitchen writer". Her famous triology, Pratham Pratishuti, followed by Swarnlatha and Bukul Katha have covered the life-stories of three generations of women, over the changing rural and urban milieu in Bengal over twentieth century. In three books, once again Ashapurna touches on the contradictory expectations from women in contemporary Bengali society - at times oppressed and traditional follower of husband`s wishes, at times the apparently modern, good looking, well dressed campanion. At the same time, she explores the inner desires and aspirations of her women characters, unfettered by expectations of the men and families.
Ashapurna Devi is an Jnanapeeth awardee and well known writer . She grew up in Calcutta, where her father was an artist. Married at a young age, in a traditional Bengali family, Ashapurna could not finish her school education. But she had an inclination to literary activities. At home she read different Bengali magazines and books.
Asha Devi wrote her first stories during 1930`s, for adolescents. Her first story was published in 1937, The Husband`s Lover, in which she touched the changing and contradictory expectations of men from women - as traditional, obedient wives and at the same time, as stimulating, glamorous lovers to show-off to others. She is known for her strong female characters.
Some times some critics have downplayed the importance of her writing, calling her the "kitchen writer". Her famous triology, Pratham Pratishuti, followed by Swarnlatha and Bukul Katha have covered the life-stories of three generations of women, over the changing rural and urban milieu in Bengal over twentieth century. In three books, once again Ashapurna touches on the contradictory expectations from women in contemporary Bengali society - at times oppressed and traditional follower of husband`s wishes, at times the apparently modern, good looking, well dressed campanion. At the same time, she explores the inner desires and aspirations of her women characters, unfettered by expectations of the men and families.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
FAMOUS SPORTSMEN
ANDY MURRAY
Andrew "Andy" Murray (born 15 May 1987) is a Scottish professional tennis player and current British No.1. He is currently ranked No.4 in the world, but was ranked No.2 from 17 August 2009 to 31 August 2009. Murray achieved a top 10 ranking by the Association of Tennis Professionals for the first time on 16 April 2007. He has reached two Grand Slam finals, the 2008 US Open and the 2010 Australian Open, losing to Roger Federer both times.
Murray is most proficient on a fast surface (such as hard courts), although he has worked hard since 2008 on improving his clay court game. Murray works with a team of fitness experts, Alex Corretja is Murray's main coach as from July 2010.
EARLY LIFE
Andy Murray was born to Willie and Judy in Glasgow, Scotland. His maternal grandfather, Roy Erskine, was a professional footballer who played reserve team matches for Hibernian and in the Scottish Football League for Stirling Albion and Cowdenbeath. Murray's brother, Jamie, is also a professional tennis player, playing on the doubles circuit. Murray was born with a bipartite patella, where the kneecap remains as two separate bones instead of fusing together in early childhood. He was diagnosed at the age of 16 and had to stop playing tennis for six months. Murray is seen frequently to hold his knee due to the pain caused by the condition, but manages it through a number of different ways. But Murray has been known to pull out of events because of the condition.
Following the separation of his parents when he was aged nine, Murray and Jamie lived with their father. Murray later attended Dunblane High School.
Dunblane Massacre
Murray attended Dunblane Primary School, and was present during the 1996 Dunblane massacre. Thomas Hamilton killed 17 people, mostly children who were in a younger age group than Murray, before turning one of his four guns on himself. Murray took cover in a classroom. Murray says he was too young to understand what was happening and is reluctant to talk about it in interviews, but in his autobiography Hitting Back he says that he attended a youth group run by Hamilton, and that his mother gave him rides in her car.
CAREER
At 15, Murray moved to Barcelona, Spain, where he attended the Schiller International School and trained on the clay courts of the Sánchez-Casal Academy. Murray described this time as "a big sacrifice". While in Spain he trained with Emilio Sánchez, formerly the world No.1 doubles player.
In July 2003 Murray started out on the Challenger and Futures circuit. In his first tournament he reached the quarter finals of the Manchester challenger. In his next tournament, Murray lost in the first round to future world top tenner Fernando Verdasco in a challenger on clay. In September, Murray won his first senior title by taking the Glasgow futures event. He also reached the semi finals of the Edinburgh futures event.
Murray did not play seniors until May, when he retired after 5 games of his first round match at the Surbiton futures event. He returned to futures events in Nottingham in July, where he lost to future Grand Slam finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2nd round. Murray spent the whole of August playing in clay future events. He won the events in Xativa and Rome as well as reaching the semi final of the Vigo event.
In September 2004, he won the junior US Open by beating Sergiy Stakhovsky who is now a top 100 player. He was selected for the Davis Cup match against Austria later that month, however he wasn't selected to play.
Later that year, he won BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.
In March, he became the youngest Briton to ever play in the Davis Cup, as he helped Britain win the tie with a crucial doubles win. Following the tie, Murray played in a challenger and a future event in Italy, reaching the semi finals of the latter. Turning professional in April, Murray played his first ATP tournament when he was given a wild card to the Open SEAT clay court tournament in Barcelona, where he lost in 3 sets to Jan Hernych.
Over the next few weeks Murray reached the semis and a quarter finals in 2 more futures events. He then reached the semi finals of the boys' French Open where he lost in straight sets to Marin Čilić, after he had defeated Juan Martín del Potro in the quarter finals. This was his first junior tournament since winning the US Open.
Given a wild card to Queens, Murray progressed past Santiago Ventura in straight sets for his first ATP win. He followed this up with another straight sets win against Taylor Dent. In the last 16 he played former Australian Open champion, Thomas Johansson, where he lost the match in 3 sets. After losing the opener on a tie break, Murray won the 2nd on a tie break, but the onset of cramp and an ankle injury sealed the match 7–6, 6–7, 7–5.
Following his performance at Queens, Murray received a wild card for Wimbledon. Ranked 312, he defeated George Bastl and 14th seed Radek Štěpánek in the opening 2 rounds, in straight sets, thereby becoming the first Scot in the open era to reach the third round of the men's singles tournament at Wimbledon.In the third round Murray played 2002 Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian, and lost, 7–6, 6–1, 0–6, 4–6, 1–6.
Following Wimbledon, Murray played in Newport at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, where he lost in the 2nd round. He had a wild card for the US Open, as he was the junior champion. In the run up to the tournament Murray won challengers on the hard courts of Aptos, which sent him into the top 200, and Binghamton, New York. He also experienced his first Masters event at Cincinnati, where he beat Dent again in straight sets before losing in 3 sets to world No.4 Marat Safin.
Murray played Andrei Pavel in the opening round of the US Open. Murray recovered from 2 sets to 1 down to win his first 5 set match, 6–3, 3–6, 3–6, 6–1, 6–4, despite being sick on court. He lost in the second round to Arnaud Clément, 2–6, 6–7, 6–2, 7–6, 0–6.
Murray was again selected for the Davis Cup match against Switzerland. He was picked for the opening single rubbers, losing in straight sets to Stanislas Wawrinka. Murray then made his first ATP final at the Thailand Open. He beat Bastl, Robin Söderling, Robby Ginepri and local boy Paradorn Srichaphan. In the final he faced world No.1, Roger Federer, losing in straight sets. On 3 October, Murray achieved a top-100 ranking for the first time. He then retired from a challenger in Mons, before he competed in his last tournament of the year, an ATP event in Basel. In the opening round he faced British No.1 Tim Henman. Murray won in 3 sets before doing the same to Tomáš Berdych. The year finished with a 3rd round loss to Fernando González. He completed the year ranked 64 and was named the 2005 BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year.
Murray competed in the debut edition of the Aberdeen Cup to finish his year. He faced Greg Rusedski twice losing the first match in straight sets then coming back the next day to edge the match on a champions tiebreaker.
Murray won just 3 times between the end of February and the middle of June, losing to Tommy Robredo in Las Vegas in a first round exit, beating Vasilis Mazarakis and losing to Nikolay Davydenko at Indian Wells. First round exits in Miami and Monte Carlo then followed to Stanislas Wawrinka and Jean-René Lisnard. He progressed past Marcel Granollers in Barcelona before losing to David Ferrer. A first round loss to local boy Filippo Volandri in Rome followed, before a win in Hamburg against Gaël Monfils. Defeats to James Blake at Hamburg, Monfils at the French Open, in 5 sets, and Janko Tipsarević at Queens followed. After the French Open, where Murray was injured again, he revealed that his bones hadn't fully grown causing him to suffer from cramps and back problems.
At the Nottingham Open Murray recorded consecutive wins for the first time since Memphis. With wins over Dmitry Tursunov and Max Mirnyi before bowing out to Andreas Seppi in the quarter finals. He progressed to the fourth round at Wimbledon, beating Nicolás Massú, Julien Benneteau and Roddick, before succumbing in the last 16 to Australian Open finalist, Marcos Baghdatis. Murray reached the semi finals of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships defeating Ricardo Mello and Sam Querrey and Robert Kendrick, with his first ever main tour whitewash (also known as a double bagel). He exited in the semis to Justin Gimelstob. Murray then won a Davis Cup rubber against Andy Ram coming back from 2 set down, but lost the doubles along side Jamie Delgado after being 2 sets to 1 up. The tie was over before Murray could play the deciding rubber.
His good form continued as the tour moved to the hard courts of the USA, recording a runner-up position at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. He defeated Ramón Delgado, Feliciano López, Fish and Tursunov before losing to Arnaud Clément. Murray then reached his first Masters Series semi final in Toronto at the Rogers Cup, beating Ferrer, Tim Henman, Carlos Moyá and Jarkko Nieminen along the way before exiting to Richard Gasquet in straight sets. At the ATP Masters Series event in Cincinnati Murray defeated Henman before coming only one of two players, along side Rafael Nadal, to defeat Roger Federer in 2006. This was followed by a win over Ginepri and a loss to Roddick. He also reached the fourth round of the US Open with wins over Kendrick, who pushed Murray to 4 sets. Alessio di Mauro for the loss of 2 games and a 5 set win over Fernando González. He lost in four sets to Davydenko, including a whitewash in the final set.
In the Davis Cup, Murray won both his singles rubbers but lost the doubles as Great Britain won the tie. As the tour progressed to Asia, he lost to Henman for the first time in straight sets in Bangkok and followed it up with a defeat to Jiří Novák in Tokyo. In the final 2 Masters events in Madrid and Paris, Murray defeated Iván Navarro and world No.3 Ljubičić in Madrid, followed by Chela in Paris. He exited both tournaments at the last 16 stage ending his season, with losses to Novak Djoković and Dominik Hrbatý.
Murray ended the year ranked 17th, his career best to that point. Murray finished the year by participating in the Aberdeen Cup for Scotland. Murray won both his matches against Greg Rusedski, edging the first match 6-4 in the final set before winning in straight sets in a second match the next day. Murray though was unhappy with the court being slippery and the linespeople being too close, citing that he could have twisted his ankle, due to a persistent ankle injury first sustained at Queens the year before.
Murray at the US Open with GilbertIn November Murray split with his coach Brad Gilbert and added a team of experts along with Miles Maclagan, his main coach. Ahead of the first event of the season Murray signed a sponsorship deal with Highland Spring worth one million pounds. It was reportedly the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in tennis. The season started well for Murray as he reached the final of the Qatar Open. He defeated Filippo Volandri, Christophe Rochus, Max Mirnyi and Nikolay Davydenko. Before falling to Ivan Ljubičić in straight sets. Murray reached the fourth round of the Australian Open. After defeating Alberto Martín for the loss of one game, then beating Fernando Verdasco and Juan Ignacio Chela in straight sets. In the round of 16 Murray lost a 5 set match against world No.2, Rafael Nadal, 7–6(7–3), 4–6, 6–4, 3–6, 1–6. He then successfully defended his San Jose title. Defeating Kevin Kim, Kristian Pless, Hyung-Taik Lee, Andy Roddick and Ivo Karlović to retain the tournament.
Murray then made the semi finals of his next 3 tournaments. Making the semis in Memphis, he defeated Frank Dancevic, Pless and Stefan Koubek before a reverse to Roddick. In Indian Wells, Murray won against Wesley Moodie, Nicolas Mahut, Davydenko and Tommy Haas before falling to Novak Djokovic. At Miami, Murray was victorious against Paul Goldstein, Robert Kendrick, Paul-Henri Mathieu and Roddick, before going down to Djokovic for the second tournament running.
Before the clay season Murray defeated Raemon Sluiter in the Davis Cup to help Britain win the tie. In his first tournament in Rome, Murray lost in the first round to Gilles Simon in 3 sets. In Hamburg, Murray played Volandri first up. In the first set, Murray was 5–1 when he hit a forehand from the back of the court and snapped the tendons in his wrist.
Murray missed a large part of the season including the French Open and Wimbledon. He returned at the Rogers Cup in Canada. On his first match he defeated Robby Ginepri in straight sets before bowing out to Fabio Fognini. At the Cincinnati Masters Murray drew Marcos Baghdatis in the first round and won only 3 games. At the US Open Murray beat Pablo Cuevas in straight sets before edging out Jonas Björkman in a 5 setter. Murray lost in the 3rd round to Lee in 4 sets.
Murray played in Great Britain's winning Davis Cup tie against Croatia, beating Marin Čilić in 5 sets. Before coming back to claim one of the dead rubbers. Murray hit form, as he then reached the final at the Metz International. After knocking out, Janko Tipsarević, Michaël Llodra, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Guillermo Cañas before failing against Tommy Robredo in the final, despite winning the first set 6–0. Murray had early exits in Moscow and Madrid; falling to Tipsarevic after winning against Evgeny Korolev in Moscow and to Nadal after defeating Radek Štěpánek and Chela in Madrid.
Murray improved as he won his third senior ATP title at the St. Petersburg Open. Beating Mirnyi, Lukáš Dlouhý, Dmitry Tursunov, Mikhail Youzhny and Fernando Verdasco to claim the title. In his final tournament in Paris, Murray went out in the quarter finals. He beat Jarkko Nieminen and Fabrice Santoro before falling to Richard Gasquet. With that result he finished at No.11 in the world. Just missing out on a place at the Masters Cup.
Murray on his way to becoming a finalist at the US OpenMurray re-entered the top-ten rankings early in 2008, winning the Qatar ExxonMobil Open. With wins over Olivier Rochus, Rainer Schüttler, Thomas Johansson, Nikolay Davydenko and Stanislas Wawrinka for the title. He was the ninth seed at the Australian Open but was defeated by eventual runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first round.
Murray took his second title of the year at the Open 13 after beating Jesse Huta Galung, Wawrinka, Nicolas Mahut, Paul-Henri Mathieu and Marin Čilić. But Murray exited to Robin Haase in straight sets in Rotterdam.In Dubai Murray defeated Roger Federer in 3 sets before doing the same to Fernando Verdasco and falling short against Davydenko. At Indian Wells Murray defeated Jürgen Melzer and Ivo Karlović in 3 sets and crashed out to Tommy Haas before a first match exit to Cilic in Miami.
On the clay courts Murray in Monte Carlo defeated Feliciano López and Filippo Volandri before winning just four games against Novak Djokovic. Cilic then handed Murray another first match defeat in Barcelona. In Rome Murray first played Juan Martín del Potro in an ill tempered 3 set match. Murray won his first match in Rome when Del Potro retired with an injury. Murray was warned for bad language and there was disagreement between the two players where Murray claimed that Del Potro insulted his mother, who was in the crowd, and deliberately aimed a ball at his head. In the next round Murray lost in straight sets to Wawrinka. In his last tournament before the French Open Murray participated in Hamburg. He defeated Dmitry Tursunov and Gilles Simon before a defeat against Rafael Nadal. At Roland Garros he overcame local boy Jonathan Eysseric in 5 sets and clay courter José Acasuso, where he lost just 4 games. He ended the tournament after a defeat by Nicolás Almagro in 4 sets in the 3rd round.
At Queens Murray played just 2 games of his opening match before Sébastien Grosjean withdrew. Against Ernests Gulbis Murray slipped on the damp grass and caused a sprain to his thumb. He won the match in 3 but withdrew ahead of his quarter final against Andy Roddick. Any thought that he would pull out of Wimbledon was unfounded as he made the start line to reach the quarter finals for the first time. Murray defeated Fabrice Santoro, Xavier Malisse in 3 sets and Tommy Haas in 4, before the one of the matches of the tournament. Murray found himself two sets down to Richard Gasquet who was serving for the match. Murray broke took it to a tie break before the shot of the tournament on set point. Murray hit a backhand winner from way off the court, when he was almost in the stands. Murray progressed through the 4th set before an early break in the 5th. Gasquet failed to break back in the next game and made a complaint about the light. But Murray completed a 5–7, 3–6, 7–6 (3), 6–2, 6–4 win. In the next round Murray was defeated by world No.2 Nadal in straight sets.
Murray won his first Masters shield in Cincinnati and added another in MadridIn his first tournament after Wimbledon, the Rogers Cup Murray defeated Johansson, Wawrinka and Djokovic before losing to Nadal in the semi finals. The Nadal loss was Murray's last defeat in ATP events for 3 months. In Cincinnati Murray went one better than in Canada as he reached his first ATP Masters Series final. He beat Sam Querrey Tursunov, Carlos Moyá and Karlovic to make the final. Murray showed no signs of nerves as on debut he won his first Masters Shield. Defeating Djokovic in 2 tie breakers. At the Olympics which is ITF organised. Murray was dumped out in round one by Yen-Hsun Lu. Citing a lack of professionalism on his part.
Murray debuted at the season ending Masters Cup in 2008Murray then went to New York to participate in the US Open. All grand slams are run by the ITF. He became the first Brit since Greg Rusedski in 1997, to reach a grand slam final. Murray defeated Sergio Roitman, and Michaël Llodra won against Melzer after being 2 sets down. He beat Wawrinka to set up a match with Del Potro. Before Nadal to beat him for the first time in a rain affected match which lasted for 2 days; to reach his first grand slam final after a 4 set battle. In the final he went down in straight sets to Federer.
Murray beat Alexander Paya and Melzer in the Davis Cup tie against Austria, but it was in vain as Great Britain lost the deciding rubber. He returned to ATP tournaments in Madrid. Where he won his second consecutive Masters shield. Defeating Simone Bolelli, Cilic (for the first time in '08) and Gaël Monfils. Before avenging his US Open final loss against Federer in 3 sets before taking the title against Simon. Murray then made it 3 ATP tournament wins on the bounce with his 5th title of the year at the St Petersburg Open. Where Murray beat Viktor Troicki, Gulbis, Janko Tipsarević, without dropping a set. Before thrashing Verdasco for the loss of just 3 games in the semi final and Andrey Golubev for the loss of 2 games in the final. To become the first British player to win 2 Master tournaments and the first Brit to win 5 tournaments in a year. Heading into the final Masters event of the season, Murray was on course for a record 3rd consecutive masters shield. Murray defeated Sam Querrey and Verdasco. Before David Nalbandian ended Murray's run, of 14 straight wins, when he beat him in straight sets. This was Murray's 1st defeat on the ATP tour in 3 months, since Nadal beat him in Canada.
Now at No.4 in the world, Murray qualified for the first time for Masters Cup. He beat Roddick in 3 sets, before the American withdrew from the competition. This was followed by a win over Simon to qualify for the semi finals. In his final group match against Federer, Murray defeated him in 3 sets. In the semi final Murray faced Davydenko. After leaving it all on the court against Federer, Murray succumbed to the Russian in straight sets.
Murray ended 2008 ranked fourth in the world.
Seeded fourth at the Australian Open, Murray made it to the fourth round, after winning against Andrei Pavel, Marcel Granollers and Jürgen Melzer in straight sets. Before losing to Fernando Verdasco in the fourth round. After the loss to Verdasco, Murray was delayed from going home as he was found to be suffering from a virus.
He won his eleventh career title at Rotterdam. Beating Ivan Ljubičić and Andreas Seppi in straight sets before dropping a set before Marc Gicquel pulled out injured. Murray reached the final with a win over Mario Ančić for the loss of just 3 games. In the final he faced the world No.1, Nadal, defeating him in the 3rd set. But an injury in the semi final forcing his withdrawal from the Marseille Open, which he had won in 2008.
Returning from injury, Murray went to Dubai and reached the quarter finals after a 3 set win of Stakhovsky followed by a straight sets win over Arnaud Clément. He withdrew before the quarter finals with a re-occurrence of the virus which had affected him at the Australian Open. The virus caused Murray to miss a Davis Cup tie in Glasgow.
Returning from the virus Murray made it to the final at Indian Wells. He defeated Montanes, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Tommy Robredo and Ljubicic in straight sets before winning his semi final in 3 sets against Federer. He lost in the final against Nadal, winning just 3 games in windy conditions. In the Miami Murray beat Juan Mónaco, Nicolás Massú, Viktor Troicki, Verdasco and Juan Martín del Potro to reach the final where he defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
Murray got his clay season underway at the Monte Carlo Masters. He reached the semi finals after beating Victor Hănescu, Fabio Fognini and Nikolay Davydenko in straight sets before losing to Nadal, 6–2, 7–6. Murray then moved to the Rome Masters, where he lost in the second round, after a R1 bye, to Monaco in 3 sets. Despite this on 11 May 2009, he achieved the highest ever ranking of a British male in the open era when he became world No.3 Murray celebrated this achievement by trying to defend his Madrid Masters title which had switched surfaces from hard to clay. He reached the quarter finals after beating Simone Bolelli and Robredo in straight sets before losing to Del Potro. Murray reached the quarter finals of the 2009 French Open but was defeated by Fernando González in 4 sets, after defeating Juan Ignacio Chela, Potito Starace, Janko Tipsarević and Cilic to reach the quarters.
Murray won at Queen's, without dropping a set, becoming the first British winner of the tournament since 1938. He beat Seppi, Guillermo García-López, Mardy Fish, Juan Carlos Ferrero and James Blake on route to the title. This was Murray's first tournament win on grass and his first ATP title in Britain.
Murray was initially seeded third at Wimbledon, but after the withdrawal of defending champion Rafeal Nadal, Murray became the second highest seeded player, after Roger Federer and highest-ever seeded Briton in a senior event at Wimbledon. Murray reached the semi finals. He opened with a win over Robert Kendrick followed by Ernests Gulbis and Troicki. Rain meant that Murray's 4th round match against Stanislas Wawrinka was the first match to be played entirely under Wimbledon's retractable roof, also enabling it to be latest finishing match ever at Wimbledon. Murray's win stretched to 5 sets and three hours 56 minutes (2–6, 6–3, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3), resulting in a 22.38 finish that was approximately an hour after play is usually concluded. In the Quarter finals he dispatched Ferrero in straight sets. Murray lost a tight semi final to Andy Roddick, achieving his best result in the tournament to date.
Murray returned to action in Montreal, beating Jérémy Chardy, Ferrero, Davydenko and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to reach the final. Where he beat Del Potro in 3 sets. After this victory he overtook Nadal in the rankings and held the No.2 spot until the start of the US Open. Murray followed the Masters win and the No.2 by playing at the Cincinnati Masters where he beat Almagro, Radek Štěpánek, and Julien Benneteau before Federer beat Murray for the first time since the US Open following 4 defeats, in straight sets. In the US Open, after getting past Gulbis, Paul Capdeville and Taylor Dent, Murray, hampered by a wrist injury, suffered a straight sets loss to Cilic. Murray competed in the Davis Cup tie in Liverpool against Poland. Murray won both his singles matches but lost the doubles as Britain lost the tie and was relegated to the next group. During the weekend Murray damaged his wrist further and was forced to miss 6 weeks of the tour, and with it dropped to No.4 in the world.
Murray returned to the tour in Valencia, where he won his sixth and final tournament of the year. After beating Daniel Gimeno-Traver, Leonardo Mayer, Montanes, Verdasco and Mikhail Youzhny to claim the title. In the final Master event of 2009, in Paris, Murray beat Blake in 3 sets before losing to Stepanek in 3. At the World Tour Finals in London, Murray started well by beating Del Potro in 3 sets. Before losing a 3 set match to Federer. He won his next match against Verdasco but because Murray, Federer and Del Potro all ended up on equal wins and sets, it came down to game percentage and Murray was squeezed out by a game. Bringing an end to his 2009 season.
Murray reached his second Grand Slam Final in AustraliaMurray and Laura Robson represented Great Britain at the Hopman Cup. The pair progressed to the final where they were beaten by Spain.
Murray was seeded fifth in the Australian Open following Murray's decision not to play Doha, losing the ranking to Juan Martín del Potro. He progressed through his opening few matches in straight sets to set up a quarter-final clash with the world No.2 Rafael Nadal. Murray lead 6–3, 7–6 (2), 3–0 before the Spaniard had to retire with a torn quadricep. He became the first British man to reach more than one Grand Slam final in 72 years, after recovering from a set down to beat Croatia's Marin Čilić in the semi-finals. In the final he lost to world No.1 Roger Federer in straight sets.
After pulling out of the Open 13 event in Marseille, Murray returned to action in Dubai. He was defeated in the second round, by Janko Tipsarević of Serbia 7–6 (3), 4–6, 6–4. At the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Murray defeated Nicolás Almagro, after he retired at the end of the 1st set to advance to the quarter-finals. However he was defeated by Robin Söderling, losing 1–6, 6–7, despite saving three match points and coming 2 points away from forcing a decider. Murray next played at the 2010 Sony Ericsson Open, but had an early exit in a match with Mardy Fish, 6–4, 6–4 in his opening round (after receiving a bye in the first round). He said following the defeat that his mind hadn't been fully on tennis. He consequently lost his No.3 ranking to Nadal.
Switching attention to clay, Murray requested a wildcard for Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters to prevent him losing his No.4 ranking to del Potro. He suffered another early exit, this time to Philipp Kohlschreiber 6–2, 6–1 in the 2nd Round. He also entered the doubles competition with Ross Hutchins and defeated world No.10 doubles team Cermak and Meritmak, before losing to the Bryan Brothers on a champions tie breaker. He then went on to reach the 3rd round in the Rome Masters 1000 where he lost to David Ferrer in straight sets, after beating Seppi and ending a 3 match losing streak. At the Madrid Masters he reached the quarter finals beating Juan Ignacio Chela and Victor Hănescu along the way. He subsequently lost to Ferrer again in a closely fought battle with the final score 7–5 6–3. Murray compeleted his preparations for the second slam of the year by defeating Fish in an exhibition match 11-9 in a champions tie breaker. At the second slam of the year, the French Open, Murray was drawn in the 1st round against Richard Gasquet. Murray battled back from 2 sets down to win in the final set. Due to bad weather, it then took 4 sets and 2 days to see off Chela. Playing for the 3rd day running, Murray lost a set 6–0 against Marcos Baghdatis, something he had not done since the French Open quarter finals the previous year. Murray lost in straight sets to Tomas Berdych in the 4th round, and credited his opponent for outplaying him
Murray's next appearance was at the grass courts of London. Attempting to become the first Briton since Gordon Lowe in 1914 to successfully defend the title, Murray progressed to the third round where he faced Mardy Fish. At three all in the final set with momentum going Murray's way (Murray had just come back from 3-0 down), the players came off for bad light leaving Murray fuming at the umpire and tournament referee. Murray was quoted saying he only came off because it was three all Coming back the next day Murray was edged out by the eventual finalist in a tie breaker for his second defeat to him in the year. Due to his early loss at Queen's Murray decided to play an exhibition match against Mikhail Youzhny, winning 6–3, 6–4. In Murray's second round match at Wimbledon, he defeated Jarkko Nieminen by a scoreline of 6–3, 6–4, 6–2; a match viewed by Queen Elizabeth II during her first visit to the Championships since 1977. Murray lost to Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals, 6–4, 7–6 (6), 6–4.
On 27 July 2010, Andy Murray and his coach Maclagan split and Murray replaced him with Alex Corretja just before he competed in the Farmers Classic as a wild card replacement for Novak Djokovic. Murray stated that views on his game between the pair of them differed wildly and that he didn't want to over complicate things. He thanked Maclagan for his 'positive contribution' and that they have a great relationship. Jonathan Overend, the BBC's tennis journalist, reported that the split happened over Maclagan annoyance at what he saw as Corretja increasing involvement in Murray's coaching. But Murray had no intention of sacking him. despite the press reporting that Murray was ready to replace him with Andre Agassi's former coach Darren Cahill.
Starting the US hard court season with 2010 Farmers Classic Murray reached the final. Murray struggled with his serve as it dropped to just 42% for first serves in, in his opening two matches, as he beat Tim Smyczek and Alejandro Falla. Murray then edged Feliciano Lopez in the semi final. During the semi final, whilst commentating for ESPN, Cahill appeared to rule himself out of becoming Murray's next coach. In Murray's first final since the Australian Open, Murray lost against Sam Querrey 7-5, 6-7(2), 3-6. This was his first loss to Querrey in five career meetings and the first time he had lost a set against the American.
In Canada, Murray successfully defended a Masters title for the first time. He became the first player since Agassi in 1995 to defend the Canadian Masters. Murray also became the fifth player to defeat Nadal (the fifth occasion that Murray has beaten the player ranked world #1) and Federer (Murray had achieved this previously at the unofficial 2009 Capitala World Tennis Championship exhibition). Murray defeated Nadal in straight sets, and Federer also in straight sets, for this first win in four attempts and a first win in a final against the Swiss star. This ended his title drought dating back to November 2009. Murray also beat David Nalbandian, for the first time with a 6-2, 6-2 win. Ending the Argentine's eleven match winning streak. Murray lost just one set in the entire week, and it came in the second set against Gael Monfils, where Murray won just six points in the entire set, before he turned it around to win the final set.
At the Cincinnati Masters Murray opened with a 3 set win over Chardy. Murray complained afterwards about the speed of the court; and edged Ernests Gulbis in a final set tie break to reach the quarter finals. Before his quarter final match with Fish, Murray complained that organisers refused to put the match on later in the day. Murray had played his two previous matches at midday, and all his matches in Toronto between 12 and 3pm. Murray said after the match on the issue; "I don't ever request really when to play. I don't make many demands at all during the tournaments." The reason given for turning down Murray's request was that Fish was playing doubles on which Murray commented "I'm not sure, the way the tennis works, I don't think matches should be scheduled around the doubles because it's the singles that's on the TV." Murray had no option but to play at midday again with temperatures reaching 33 degrees in the shade. Murray won the first set on a tie breaker but after a toilet break began to feel ill, and the doctor was called on court to actively cool Murray down. Murray admitted after the match that he had considered retiring. Murray lost the second set but dug in to force a final set decider which went to a tie breaker before Fish won. At the US Open Murray started against Lacko in searing heat. Murray won in straight sets and there were no signs of the problems which affected Murray in Cincinnati. Murray played Dustin Brown in the second round and after a small rain delay, won the match in straight sets. In the third round Murray played Stanislas Wawrinka and bowed out of the tournament losing in four sets. However questions about Murray's conditioning arose as he called the trainer out twice during the match.
Playing Style And Equipment
Murray is best described as a defensive counter-puncher, with professional tennis coach Paul Annacone citing that Murray "may be the best counterpuncher on tour today." His greatest strengths include solid groundstrokes with low error rate, the uncanny ability to anticipate and react, and his transition from defence to offence with extraordinary speed which enables him to hit winners from defensive positions. His playing style has been liken to that of Miloslav Mečíř. Murray's tactics usually involve passive exchanges from the baseline, usually waiting for an unforced error. However, Murray has been criticised for his generally passive style of play and lack of offensive weapons, prompting some to call him a "pusher". He is capable of injecting sudden pace to his groundstrokes to surprise his opponents who are used to the slow rally. Murray is also one of the top returners in the game, often able to block back fast serves with his excellent reach and uncanny ability to anticipate. For this reason, Murray is rarely aced. Murray is also known for being one of the most intelligent tacticians on the court, often constructing points. One of his greatest strengths, however, is his first serve.
Early in his career, most of his main tour wins came on hard courts. However, he claimed to prefer clay courts] because of his training in Barcelona as a junior player.
Murray is sponsored by Head for his racquets. He wore Fred Perry apparel until late 2009, when he signed a five-year £10m contract with Adidas, which he began wearing at the start of the 2010 season.
PERSONAL LIFE
Murray is in a four-year relationship with Kim Sears, which ended briefly in 2009 before they reconciled in 2010.
Murray's tennis idol is Andre Agassi.
NATIONAL IDENTITY
Murray identifies himself as "Scottish, but also British". Prior to Wimbledon 2006, Murray caused some public debate when he was quoted as saying he would "support anyone but England" at the 2006 World Cup. He received large amounts of hate mail on his website as a result. It was also reported that Murray had worn a Paraguay shirt on the day of England's World Cup match with the South American team.
Murray explained that his comments were said in jest during a light-hearted interview with sports columnist Des Kelly, who asked him if he would be supporting Scotland in the World Cup, in the knowledge that Scotland had failed to qualify for the tournament. Kelly stated another tabloid had later "lifted a couple of [the comments] into a 'story' that took on a life of its own and from there the truth was lost" and that he despaired over the "nonsensical criticism".
Murray protested that he is "not anti-English and never was" and he expressed disappointment over England's subsequent elimination by Portugal. In an interview with Nicky Campbell on BBC Radio 5 Live, Tim Henman confirmed that the remarks had been made in jest and were only in response to Murray being teased by Kelly and Henman. He also stated that the rumour that Murray had worn a Paraguay shirt was untrue.
In an interview with Gabby Logan for the BBC's Inside Sport programme, Murray said that he was both Scottish and British and was comfortable and happy with his British identity. He said he saw no conflict between the two and was equally proud of them. He has also pointed out that he is quarter English with some of his family originating from Newcastle, his coach is Scottish and that his girlfriend, Kim Sears, is English.
-[ Courtesy: Wikipaedia]
Andrew "Andy" Murray (born 15 May 1987) is a Scottish professional tennis player and current British No.1. He is currently ranked No.4 in the world, but was ranked No.2 from 17 August 2009 to 31 August 2009. Murray achieved a top 10 ranking by the Association of Tennis Professionals for the first time on 16 April 2007. He has reached two Grand Slam finals, the 2008 US Open and the 2010 Australian Open, losing to Roger Federer both times.
Murray is most proficient on a fast surface (such as hard courts), although he has worked hard since 2008 on improving his clay court game. Murray works with a team of fitness experts, Alex Corretja is Murray's main coach as from July 2010.
EARLY LIFE
Andy Murray was born to Willie and Judy in Glasgow, Scotland. His maternal grandfather, Roy Erskine, was a professional footballer who played reserve team matches for Hibernian and in the Scottish Football League for Stirling Albion and Cowdenbeath. Murray's brother, Jamie, is also a professional tennis player, playing on the doubles circuit. Murray was born with a bipartite patella, where the kneecap remains as two separate bones instead of fusing together in early childhood. He was diagnosed at the age of 16 and had to stop playing tennis for six months. Murray is seen frequently to hold his knee due to the pain caused by the condition, but manages it through a number of different ways. But Murray has been known to pull out of events because of the condition.
Following the separation of his parents when he was aged nine, Murray and Jamie lived with their father. Murray later attended Dunblane High School.
Dunblane Massacre
Murray attended Dunblane Primary School, and was present during the 1996 Dunblane massacre. Thomas Hamilton killed 17 people, mostly children who were in a younger age group than Murray, before turning one of his four guns on himself. Murray took cover in a classroom. Murray says he was too young to understand what was happening and is reluctant to talk about it in interviews, but in his autobiography Hitting Back he says that he attended a youth group run by Hamilton, and that his mother gave him rides in her car.
CAREER
Junior Tennis
Murray began playing tennis at a very early age. Leon Smith, Murray's tennis coach from 11 to 17, said he had never seen a five-year-old like Murray, describing him as "unbelievably competitive". Murray attributes his abilities to the motivation gained from losing to his older brother Jamie. He first beat Jamie in an under-12s final in Solihull, afterwards teasing Jamie until his brother hit him hard enough to lose a nail on his left hand. At 12, Murray won his category at the Orange Bowl, a prestigious event for junior players. He briefly played football before reverting to tennis.At 15, Murray moved to Barcelona, Spain, where he attended the Schiller International School and trained on the clay courts of the Sánchez-Casal Academy. Murray described this time as "a big sacrifice". While in Spain he trained with Emilio Sánchez, formerly the world No.1 doubles player.
In July 2003 Murray started out on the Challenger and Futures circuit. In his first tournament he reached the quarter finals of the Manchester challenger. In his next tournament, Murray lost in the first round to future world top tenner Fernando Verdasco in a challenger on clay. In September, Murray won his first senior title by taking the Glasgow futures event. He also reached the semi finals of the Edinburgh futures event.
Murray did not play seniors until May, when he retired after 5 games of his first round match at the Surbiton futures event. He returned to futures events in Nottingham in July, where he lost to future Grand Slam finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2nd round. Murray spent the whole of August playing in clay future events. He won the events in Xativa and Rome as well as reaching the semi final of the Vigo event.
In September 2004, he won the junior US Open by beating Sergiy Stakhovsky who is now a top 100 player. He was selected for the Davis Cup match against Austria later that month, however he wasn't selected to play.
Later that year, he won BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.
2005
Murray began 2005 ranked 407 in the world.In March, he became the youngest Briton to ever play in the Davis Cup, as he helped Britain win the tie with a crucial doubles win. Following the tie, Murray played in a challenger and a future event in Italy, reaching the semi finals of the latter. Turning professional in April, Murray played his first ATP tournament when he was given a wild card to the Open SEAT clay court tournament in Barcelona, where he lost in 3 sets to Jan Hernych.
Over the next few weeks Murray reached the semis and a quarter finals in 2 more futures events. He then reached the semi finals of the boys' French Open where he lost in straight sets to Marin Čilić, after he had defeated Juan Martín del Potro in the quarter finals. This was his first junior tournament since winning the US Open.
Given a wild card to Queens, Murray progressed past Santiago Ventura in straight sets for his first ATP win. He followed this up with another straight sets win against Taylor Dent. In the last 16 he played former Australian Open champion, Thomas Johansson, where he lost the match in 3 sets. After losing the opener on a tie break, Murray won the 2nd on a tie break, but the onset of cramp and an ankle injury sealed the match 7–6, 6–7, 7–5.
Following his performance at Queens, Murray received a wild card for Wimbledon. Ranked 312, he defeated George Bastl and 14th seed Radek Štěpánek in the opening 2 rounds, in straight sets, thereby becoming the first Scot in the open era to reach the third round of the men's singles tournament at Wimbledon.In the third round Murray played 2002 Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian, and lost, 7–6, 6–1, 0–6, 4–6, 1–6.
Following Wimbledon, Murray played in Newport at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships, where he lost in the 2nd round. He had a wild card for the US Open, as he was the junior champion. In the run up to the tournament Murray won challengers on the hard courts of Aptos, which sent him into the top 200, and Binghamton, New York. He also experienced his first Masters event at Cincinnati, where he beat Dent again in straight sets before losing in 3 sets to world No.4 Marat Safin.
Murray played Andrei Pavel in the opening round of the US Open. Murray recovered from 2 sets to 1 down to win his first 5 set match, 6–3, 3–6, 3–6, 6–1, 6–4, despite being sick on court. He lost in the second round to Arnaud Clément, 2–6, 6–7, 6–2, 7–6, 0–6.
Murray was again selected for the Davis Cup match against Switzerland. He was picked for the opening single rubbers, losing in straight sets to Stanislas Wawrinka. Murray then made his first ATP final at the Thailand Open. He beat Bastl, Robin Söderling, Robby Ginepri and local boy Paradorn Srichaphan. In the final he faced world No.1, Roger Federer, losing in straight sets. On 3 October, Murray achieved a top-100 ranking for the first time. He then retired from a challenger in Mons, before he competed in his last tournament of the year, an ATP event in Basel. In the opening round he faced British No.1 Tim Henman. Murray won in 3 sets before doing the same to Tomáš Berdych. The year finished with a 3rd round loss to Fernando González. He completed the year ranked 64 and was named the 2005 BBC Scotland Sports Personality of the Year.
Murray competed in the debut edition of the Aberdeen Cup to finish his year. He faced Greg Rusedski twice losing the first match in straight sets then coming back the next day to edge the match on a champions tiebreaker.
2006
2006 saw Murray compete on the full circuit for the first time and split with Mark Petchey and team up with Brad Gilbert.
Getting his season under way at the Adelaide International, Murray won his opening match of '06 against Paolo Lorenzi in 3 sets before bowing out to Tomáš Berdych. Murray's season then moved to Auckland where he beat Kenneth Carlsen. Murray then lost 3 matches in a row to Marin Čilić, Juan Ignacio Chela at the Australian Open and Ivan Ljubičić in Zagreb. Murray arrested the situation to beat Mardy Fish in straight sets when the tour came to San Jose, California; going on to win his first ATP title, the SAP Open, defeating world No.11 Lleyton Hewitt in the final.[54] He triumphed over Jimmy Wang and Robin Söderling before his first win over a top ten player, Andy Roddick,[55] the world No.3, to reach his 2nd ATP final, which he won. Murray backed this up with a quarter final appearance in Memphis, beating Rainer Schüttler and Rik de Voest before falling to Soderling.Murray won just 3 times between the end of February and the middle of June, losing to Tommy Robredo in Las Vegas in a first round exit, beating Vasilis Mazarakis and losing to Nikolay Davydenko at Indian Wells. First round exits in Miami and Monte Carlo then followed to Stanislas Wawrinka and Jean-René Lisnard. He progressed past Marcel Granollers in Barcelona before losing to David Ferrer. A first round loss to local boy Filippo Volandri in Rome followed, before a win in Hamburg against Gaël Monfils. Defeats to James Blake at Hamburg, Monfils at the French Open, in 5 sets, and Janko Tipsarević at Queens followed. After the French Open, where Murray was injured again, he revealed that his bones hadn't fully grown causing him to suffer from cramps and back problems.
At the Nottingham Open Murray recorded consecutive wins for the first time since Memphis. With wins over Dmitry Tursunov and Max Mirnyi before bowing out to Andreas Seppi in the quarter finals. He progressed to the fourth round at Wimbledon, beating Nicolás Massú, Julien Benneteau and Roddick, before succumbing in the last 16 to Australian Open finalist, Marcos Baghdatis. Murray reached the semi finals of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships defeating Ricardo Mello and Sam Querrey and Robert Kendrick, with his first ever main tour whitewash (also known as a double bagel). He exited in the semis to Justin Gimelstob. Murray then won a Davis Cup rubber against Andy Ram coming back from 2 set down, but lost the doubles along side Jamie Delgado after being 2 sets to 1 up. The tie was over before Murray could play the deciding rubber.
His good form continued as the tour moved to the hard courts of the USA, recording a runner-up position at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. He defeated Ramón Delgado, Feliciano López, Fish and Tursunov before losing to Arnaud Clément. Murray then reached his first Masters Series semi final in Toronto at the Rogers Cup, beating Ferrer, Tim Henman, Carlos Moyá and Jarkko Nieminen along the way before exiting to Richard Gasquet in straight sets. At the ATP Masters Series event in Cincinnati Murray defeated Henman before coming only one of two players, along side Rafael Nadal, to defeat Roger Federer in 2006. This was followed by a win over Ginepri and a loss to Roddick. He also reached the fourth round of the US Open with wins over Kendrick, who pushed Murray to 4 sets. Alessio di Mauro for the loss of 2 games and a 5 set win over Fernando González. He lost in four sets to Davydenko, including a whitewash in the final set.
In the Davis Cup, Murray won both his singles rubbers but lost the doubles as Great Britain won the tie. As the tour progressed to Asia, he lost to Henman for the first time in straight sets in Bangkok and followed it up with a defeat to Jiří Novák in Tokyo. In the final 2 Masters events in Madrid and Paris, Murray defeated Iván Navarro and world No.3 Ljubičić in Madrid, followed by Chela in Paris. He exited both tournaments at the last 16 stage ending his season, with losses to Novak Djoković and Dominik Hrbatý.
Murray ended the year ranked 17th, his career best to that point. Murray finished the year by participating in the Aberdeen Cup for Scotland. Murray won both his matches against Greg Rusedski, edging the first match 6-4 in the final set before winning in straight sets in a second match the next day. Murray though was unhappy with the court being slippery and the linespeople being too close, citing that he could have twisted his ankle, due to a persistent ankle injury first sustained at Queens the year before.
2007
Murray then made the semi finals of his next 3 tournaments. Making the semis in Memphis, he defeated Frank Dancevic, Pless and Stefan Koubek before a reverse to Roddick. In Indian Wells, Murray won against Wesley Moodie, Nicolas Mahut, Davydenko and Tommy Haas before falling to Novak Djokovic. At Miami, Murray was victorious against Paul Goldstein, Robert Kendrick, Paul-Henri Mathieu and Roddick, before going down to Djokovic for the second tournament running.
Before the clay season Murray defeated Raemon Sluiter in the Davis Cup to help Britain win the tie. In his first tournament in Rome, Murray lost in the first round to Gilles Simon in 3 sets. In Hamburg, Murray played Volandri first up. In the first set, Murray was 5–1 when he hit a forehand from the back of the court and snapped the tendons in his wrist.
Murray missed a large part of the season including the French Open and Wimbledon. He returned at the Rogers Cup in Canada. On his first match he defeated Robby Ginepri in straight sets before bowing out to Fabio Fognini. At the Cincinnati Masters Murray drew Marcos Baghdatis in the first round and won only 3 games. At the US Open Murray beat Pablo Cuevas in straight sets before edging out Jonas Björkman in a 5 setter. Murray lost in the 3rd round to Lee in 4 sets.
Murray played in Great Britain's winning Davis Cup tie against Croatia, beating Marin Čilić in 5 sets. Before coming back to claim one of the dead rubbers. Murray hit form, as he then reached the final at the Metz International. After knocking out, Janko Tipsarević, Michaël Llodra, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Guillermo Cañas before failing against Tommy Robredo in the final, despite winning the first set 6–0. Murray had early exits in Moscow and Madrid; falling to Tipsarevic after winning against Evgeny Korolev in Moscow and to Nadal after defeating Radek Štěpánek and Chela in Madrid.
Murray improved as he won his third senior ATP title at the St. Petersburg Open. Beating Mirnyi, Lukáš Dlouhý, Dmitry Tursunov, Mikhail Youzhny and Fernando Verdasco to claim the title. In his final tournament in Paris, Murray went out in the quarter finals. He beat Jarkko Nieminen and Fabrice Santoro before falling to Richard Gasquet. With that result he finished at No.11 in the world. Just missing out on a place at the Masters Cup.
2008
Murray took his second title of the year at the Open 13 after beating Jesse Huta Galung, Wawrinka, Nicolas Mahut, Paul-Henri Mathieu and Marin Čilić. But Murray exited to Robin Haase in straight sets in Rotterdam.In Dubai Murray defeated Roger Federer in 3 sets before doing the same to Fernando Verdasco and falling short against Davydenko. At Indian Wells Murray defeated Jürgen Melzer and Ivo Karlović in 3 sets and crashed out to Tommy Haas before a first match exit to Cilic in Miami.
On the clay courts Murray in Monte Carlo defeated Feliciano López and Filippo Volandri before winning just four games against Novak Djokovic. Cilic then handed Murray another first match defeat in Barcelona. In Rome Murray first played Juan Martín del Potro in an ill tempered 3 set match. Murray won his first match in Rome when Del Potro retired with an injury. Murray was warned for bad language and there was disagreement between the two players where Murray claimed that Del Potro insulted his mother, who was in the crowd, and deliberately aimed a ball at his head. In the next round Murray lost in straight sets to Wawrinka. In his last tournament before the French Open Murray participated in Hamburg. He defeated Dmitry Tursunov and Gilles Simon before a defeat against Rafael Nadal. At Roland Garros he overcame local boy Jonathan Eysseric in 5 sets and clay courter José Acasuso, where he lost just 4 games. He ended the tournament after a defeat by Nicolás Almagro in 4 sets in the 3rd round.
At Queens Murray played just 2 games of his opening match before Sébastien Grosjean withdrew. Against Ernests Gulbis Murray slipped on the damp grass and caused a sprain to his thumb. He won the match in 3 but withdrew ahead of his quarter final against Andy Roddick. Any thought that he would pull out of Wimbledon was unfounded as he made the start line to reach the quarter finals for the first time. Murray defeated Fabrice Santoro, Xavier Malisse in 3 sets and Tommy Haas in 4, before the one of the matches of the tournament. Murray found himself two sets down to Richard Gasquet who was serving for the match. Murray broke took it to a tie break before the shot of the tournament on set point. Murray hit a backhand winner from way off the court, when he was almost in the stands. Murray progressed through the 4th set before an early break in the 5th. Gasquet failed to break back in the next game and made a complaint about the light. But Murray completed a 5–7, 3–6, 7–6 (3), 6–2, 6–4 win. In the next round Murray was defeated by world No.2 Nadal in straight sets.
Murray beat Alexander Paya and Melzer in the Davis Cup tie against Austria, but it was in vain as Great Britain lost the deciding rubber. He returned to ATP tournaments in Madrid. Where he won his second consecutive Masters shield. Defeating Simone Bolelli, Cilic (for the first time in '08) and Gaël Monfils. Before avenging his US Open final loss against Federer in 3 sets before taking the title against Simon. Murray then made it 3 ATP tournament wins on the bounce with his 5th title of the year at the St Petersburg Open. Where Murray beat Viktor Troicki, Gulbis, Janko Tipsarević, without dropping a set. Before thrashing Verdasco for the loss of just 3 games in the semi final and Andrey Golubev for the loss of 2 games in the final. To become the first British player to win 2 Master tournaments and the first Brit to win 5 tournaments in a year. Heading into the final Masters event of the season, Murray was on course for a record 3rd consecutive masters shield. Murray defeated Sam Querrey and Verdasco. Before David Nalbandian ended Murray's run, of 14 straight wins, when he beat him in straight sets. This was Murray's 1st defeat on the ATP tour in 3 months, since Nadal beat him in Canada.
Now at No.4 in the world, Murray qualified for the first time for Masters Cup. He beat Roddick in 3 sets, before the American withdrew from the competition. This was followed by a win over Simon to qualify for the semi finals. In his final group match against Federer, Murray defeated him in 3 sets. In the semi final Murray faced Davydenko. After leaving it all on the court against Federer, Murray succumbed to the Russian in straight sets.
Murray ended 2008 ranked fourth in the world.
2009
Murray began 2009 by beating James Blake, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to win the exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi. He followed this with a successful defence of his title at the Qatar Open in Doha. Where he beat Albert Montañés, Philipp Petzschner and Sergiy Stakhovsky in straight sets before beating Federer again, 6–7, 6–2, 6–2. Before defeating Andy Roddick in straight sets to win the final
Seeded fourth at the Australian Open, Murray made it to the fourth round, after winning against Andrei Pavel, Marcel Granollers and Jürgen Melzer in straight sets. Before losing to Fernando Verdasco in the fourth round. After the loss to Verdasco, Murray was delayed from going home as he was found to be suffering from a virus.
He won his eleventh career title at Rotterdam. Beating Ivan Ljubičić and Andreas Seppi in straight sets before dropping a set before Marc Gicquel pulled out injured. Murray reached the final with a win over Mario Ančić for the loss of just 3 games. In the final he faced the world No.1, Nadal, defeating him in the 3rd set. But an injury in the semi final forcing his withdrawal from the Marseille Open, which he had won in 2008.
Returning from injury, Murray went to Dubai and reached the quarter finals after a 3 set win of Stakhovsky followed by a straight sets win over Arnaud Clément. He withdrew before the quarter finals with a re-occurrence of the virus which had affected him at the Australian Open. The virus caused Murray to miss a Davis Cup tie in Glasgow.
Returning from the virus Murray made it to the final at Indian Wells. He defeated Montanes, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Tommy Robredo and Ljubicic in straight sets before winning his semi final in 3 sets against Federer. He lost in the final against Nadal, winning just 3 games in windy conditions. In the Miami Murray beat Juan Mónaco, Nicolás Massú, Viktor Troicki, Verdasco and Juan Martín del Potro to reach the final where he defeated Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
Murray got his clay season underway at the Monte Carlo Masters. He reached the semi finals after beating Victor Hănescu, Fabio Fognini and Nikolay Davydenko in straight sets before losing to Nadal, 6–2, 7–6. Murray then moved to the Rome Masters, where he lost in the second round, after a R1 bye, to Monaco in 3 sets. Despite this on 11 May 2009, he achieved the highest ever ranking of a British male in the open era when he became world No.3 Murray celebrated this achievement by trying to defend his Madrid Masters title which had switched surfaces from hard to clay. He reached the quarter finals after beating Simone Bolelli and Robredo in straight sets before losing to Del Potro. Murray reached the quarter finals of the 2009 French Open but was defeated by Fernando González in 4 sets, after defeating Juan Ignacio Chela, Potito Starace, Janko Tipsarević and Cilic to reach the quarters.
Murray won at Queen's, without dropping a set, becoming the first British winner of the tournament since 1938. He beat Seppi, Guillermo García-López, Mardy Fish, Juan Carlos Ferrero and James Blake on route to the title. This was Murray's first tournament win on grass and his first ATP title in Britain.
Murray was initially seeded third at Wimbledon, but after the withdrawal of defending champion Rafeal Nadal, Murray became the second highest seeded player, after Roger Federer and highest-ever seeded Briton in a senior event at Wimbledon. Murray reached the semi finals. He opened with a win over Robert Kendrick followed by Ernests Gulbis and Troicki. Rain meant that Murray's 4th round match against Stanislas Wawrinka was the first match to be played entirely under Wimbledon's retractable roof, also enabling it to be latest finishing match ever at Wimbledon. Murray's win stretched to 5 sets and three hours 56 minutes (2–6, 6–3, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3), resulting in a 22.38 finish that was approximately an hour after play is usually concluded. In the Quarter finals he dispatched Ferrero in straight sets. Murray lost a tight semi final to Andy Roddick, achieving his best result in the tournament to date.
Murray returned to action in Montreal, beating Jérémy Chardy, Ferrero, Davydenko and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to reach the final. Where he beat Del Potro in 3 sets. After this victory he overtook Nadal in the rankings and held the No.2 spot until the start of the US Open. Murray followed the Masters win and the No.2 by playing at the Cincinnati Masters where he beat Almagro, Radek Štěpánek, and Julien Benneteau before Federer beat Murray for the first time since the US Open following 4 defeats, in straight sets. In the US Open, after getting past Gulbis, Paul Capdeville and Taylor Dent, Murray, hampered by a wrist injury, suffered a straight sets loss to Cilic. Murray competed in the Davis Cup tie in Liverpool against Poland. Murray won both his singles matches but lost the doubles as Britain lost the tie and was relegated to the next group. During the weekend Murray damaged his wrist further and was forced to miss 6 weeks of the tour, and with it dropped to No.4 in the world.
Murray returned to the tour in Valencia, where he won his sixth and final tournament of the year. After beating Daniel Gimeno-Traver, Leonardo Mayer, Montanes, Verdasco and Mikhail Youzhny to claim the title. In the final Master event of 2009, in Paris, Murray beat Blake in 3 sets before losing to Stepanek in 3. At the World Tour Finals in London, Murray started well by beating Del Potro in 3 sets. Before losing a 3 set match to Federer. He won his next match against Verdasco but because Murray, Federer and Del Potro all ended up on equal wins and sets, it came down to game percentage and Murray was squeezed out by a game. Bringing an end to his 2009 season.
2010
Murray was seeded fifth in the Australian Open following Murray's decision not to play Doha, losing the ranking to Juan Martín del Potro. He progressed through his opening few matches in straight sets to set up a quarter-final clash with the world No.2 Rafael Nadal. Murray lead 6–3, 7–6 (2), 3–0 before the Spaniard had to retire with a torn quadricep. He became the first British man to reach more than one Grand Slam final in 72 years, after recovering from a set down to beat Croatia's Marin Čilić in the semi-finals. In the final he lost to world No.1 Roger Federer in straight sets.
After pulling out of the Open 13 event in Marseille, Murray returned to action in Dubai. He was defeated in the second round, by Janko Tipsarević of Serbia 7–6 (3), 4–6, 6–4. At the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Murray defeated Nicolás Almagro, after he retired at the end of the 1st set to advance to the quarter-finals. However he was defeated by Robin Söderling, losing 1–6, 6–7, despite saving three match points and coming 2 points away from forcing a decider. Murray next played at the 2010 Sony Ericsson Open, but had an early exit in a match with Mardy Fish, 6–4, 6–4 in his opening round (after receiving a bye in the first round). He said following the defeat that his mind hadn't been fully on tennis. He consequently lost his No.3 ranking to Nadal.
Switching attention to clay, Murray requested a wildcard for Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters to prevent him losing his No.4 ranking to del Potro. He suffered another early exit, this time to Philipp Kohlschreiber 6–2, 6–1 in the 2nd Round. He also entered the doubles competition with Ross Hutchins and defeated world No.10 doubles team Cermak and Meritmak, before losing to the Bryan Brothers on a champions tie breaker. He then went on to reach the 3rd round in the Rome Masters 1000 where he lost to David Ferrer in straight sets, after beating Seppi and ending a 3 match losing streak. At the Madrid Masters he reached the quarter finals beating Juan Ignacio Chela and Victor Hănescu along the way. He subsequently lost to Ferrer again in a closely fought battle with the final score 7–5 6–3. Murray compeleted his preparations for the second slam of the year by defeating Fish in an exhibition match 11-9 in a champions tie breaker. At the second slam of the year, the French Open, Murray was drawn in the 1st round against Richard Gasquet. Murray battled back from 2 sets down to win in the final set. Due to bad weather, it then took 4 sets and 2 days to see off Chela. Playing for the 3rd day running, Murray lost a set 6–0 against Marcos Baghdatis, something he had not done since the French Open quarter finals the previous year. Murray lost in straight sets to Tomas Berdych in the 4th round, and credited his opponent for outplaying him
Murray's next appearance was at the grass courts of London. Attempting to become the first Briton since Gordon Lowe in 1914 to successfully defend the title, Murray progressed to the third round where he faced Mardy Fish. At three all in the final set with momentum going Murray's way (Murray had just come back from 3-0 down), the players came off for bad light leaving Murray fuming at the umpire and tournament referee. Murray was quoted saying he only came off because it was three all Coming back the next day Murray was edged out by the eventual finalist in a tie breaker for his second defeat to him in the year. Due to his early loss at Queen's Murray decided to play an exhibition match against Mikhail Youzhny, winning 6–3, 6–4. In Murray's second round match at Wimbledon, he defeated Jarkko Nieminen by a scoreline of 6–3, 6–4, 6–2; a match viewed by Queen Elizabeth II during her first visit to the Championships since 1977. Murray lost to Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals, 6–4, 7–6 (6), 6–4.
On 27 July 2010, Andy Murray and his coach Maclagan split and Murray replaced him with Alex Corretja just before he competed in the Farmers Classic as a wild card replacement for Novak Djokovic. Murray stated that views on his game between the pair of them differed wildly and that he didn't want to over complicate things. He thanked Maclagan for his 'positive contribution' and that they have a great relationship. Jonathan Overend, the BBC's tennis journalist, reported that the split happened over Maclagan annoyance at what he saw as Corretja increasing involvement in Murray's coaching. But Murray had no intention of sacking him. despite the press reporting that Murray was ready to replace him with Andre Agassi's former coach Darren Cahill.
Starting the US hard court season with 2010 Farmers Classic Murray reached the final. Murray struggled with his serve as it dropped to just 42% for first serves in, in his opening two matches, as he beat Tim Smyczek and Alejandro Falla. Murray then edged Feliciano Lopez in the semi final. During the semi final, whilst commentating for ESPN, Cahill appeared to rule himself out of becoming Murray's next coach. In Murray's first final since the Australian Open, Murray lost against Sam Querrey 7-5, 6-7(2), 3-6. This was his first loss to Querrey in five career meetings and the first time he had lost a set against the American.
In Canada, Murray successfully defended a Masters title for the first time. He became the first player since Agassi in 1995 to defend the Canadian Masters. Murray also became the fifth player to defeat Nadal (the fifth occasion that Murray has beaten the player ranked world #1) and Federer (Murray had achieved this previously at the unofficial 2009 Capitala World Tennis Championship exhibition). Murray defeated Nadal in straight sets, and Federer also in straight sets, for this first win in four attempts and a first win in a final against the Swiss star. This ended his title drought dating back to November 2009. Murray also beat David Nalbandian, for the first time with a 6-2, 6-2 win. Ending the Argentine's eleven match winning streak. Murray lost just one set in the entire week, and it came in the second set against Gael Monfils, where Murray won just six points in the entire set, before he turned it around to win the final set.
At the Cincinnati Masters Murray opened with a 3 set win over Chardy. Murray complained afterwards about the speed of the court; and edged Ernests Gulbis in a final set tie break to reach the quarter finals. Before his quarter final match with Fish, Murray complained that organisers refused to put the match on later in the day. Murray had played his two previous matches at midday, and all his matches in Toronto between 12 and 3pm. Murray said after the match on the issue; "I don't ever request really when to play. I don't make many demands at all during the tournaments." The reason given for turning down Murray's request was that Fish was playing doubles on which Murray commented "I'm not sure, the way the tennis works, I don't think matches should be scheduled around the doubles because it's the singles that's on the TV." Murray had no option but to play at midday again with temperatures reaching 33 degrees in the shade. Murray won the first set on a tie breaker but after a toilet break began to feel ill, and the doctor was called on court to actively cool Murray down. Murray admitted after the match that he had considered retiring. Murray lost the second set but dug in to force a final set decider which went to a tie breaker before Fish won. At the US Open Murray started against Lacko in searing heat. Murray won in straight sets and there were no signs of the problems which affected Murray in Cincinnati. Murray played Dustin Brown in the second round and after a small rain delay, won the match in straight sets. In the third round Murray played Stanislas Wawrinka and bowed out of the tournament losing in four sets. However questions about Murray's conditioning arose as he called the trainer out twice during the match.
Playing Style And Equipment
Murray is best described as a defensive counter-puncher, with professional tennis coach Paul Annacone citing that Murray "may be the best counterpuncher on tour today." His greatest strengths include solid groundstrokes with low error rate, the uncanny ability to anticipate and react, and his transition from defence to offence with extraordinary speed which enables him to hit winners from defensive positions. His playing style has been liken to that of Miloslav Mečíř. Murray's tactics usually involve passive exchanges from the baseline, usually waiting for an unforced error. However, Murray has been criticised for his generally passive style of play and lack of offensive weapons, prompting some to call him a "pusher". He is capable of injecting sudden pace to his groundstrokes to surprise his opponents who are used to the slow rally. Murray is also one of the top returners in the game, often able to block back fast serves with his excellent reach and uncanny ability to anticipate. For this reason, Murray is rarely aced. Murray is also known for being one of the most intelligent tacticians on the court, often constructing points. One of his greatest strengths, however, is his first serve.
Early in his career, most of his main tour wins came on hard courts. However, he claimed to prefer clay courts] because of his training in Barcelona as a junior player.
Murray is sponsored by Head for his racquets. He wore Fred Perry apparel until late 2009, when he signed a five-year £10m contract with Adidas, which he began wearing at the start of the 2010 season.
PERSONAL LIFE
Murray is in a four-year relationship with Kim Sears, which ended briefly in 2009 before they reconciled in 2010.
Murray's tennis idol is Andre Agassi.
NATIONAL IDENTITY
Murray identifies himself as "Scottish, but also British". Prior to Wimbledon 2006, Murray caused some public debate when he was quoted as saying he would "support anyone but England" at the 2006 World Cup. He received large amounts of hate mail on his website as a result. It was also reported that Murray had worn a Paraguay shirt on the day of England's World Cup match with the South American team.
Murray explained that his comments were said in jest during a light-hearted interview with sports columnist Des Kelly, who asked him if he would be supporting Scotland in the World Cup, in the knowledge that Scotland had failed to qualify for the tournament. Kelly stated another tabloid had later "lifted a couple of [the comments] into a 'story' that took on a life of its own and from there the truth was lost" and that he despaired over the "nonsensical criticism".
Murray protested that he is "not anti-English and never was" and he expressed disappointment over England's subsequent elimination by Portugal. In an interview with Nicky Campbell on BBC Radio 5 Live, Tim Henman confirmed that the remarks had been made in jest and were only in response to Murray being teased by Kelly and Henman. He also stated that the rumour that Murray had worn a Paraguay shirt was untrue.
In an interview with Gabby Logan for the BBC's Inside Sport programme, Murray said that he was both Scottish and British and was comfortable and happy with his British identity. He said he saw no conflict between the two and was equally proud of them. He has also pointed out that he is quarter English with some of his family originating from Newcastle, his coach is Scottish and that his girlfriend, Kim Sears, is English.
-[ Courtesy: Wikipaedia]
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