Here’s 20-year old Coco Gauff, born the same year that Murray won the Wimbledon junior title:
“I just saw a video on TikTok which always makes its rounds about correcting reporters about statistics. It’s something that as a female player, you’ll see a lot. People will be, like, ‘He’s the first player to do this [or do that].’ But it’s like, well, Serena and Venus did it, or another (woman) player did it ages ago.
“Yeah, I do appreciate him—not only Andy, but also his mother (Judy) for everything they’ve done for equality for women’s sports.”
The inspiration Murray has provided his compatriots is another area of deep appreciation. Harriet Dart, the British No. 2, said she was “amazed” Murray put his time in with the lesser British players at their national training center during the Covid pandemic.
“He was always putting so many hours in,” she said. “For someone who’s had such an amazing career, he just goes about his business so diligently.
He’s always the first person there and the last to leave. But more importantly, I think he’s a really, really kind and nice human being.
Alexander Zverev, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, said, “I think outside of Novak, Rafa, and Roger, over the past 20 years, he’s probably the one who has kind of moved a lot of fans towards tennis. Obviously what he’s done for British tennis generally, as well at Wimbledon, is going to go down in the history books.”
But above all else, Murray is lionized for his dedication to his craft, and his appetite for competition. Novak Djokovic remembers his first meeting with Murray, when they were 12-year olds (they were born just one week apart). He spoke of the “tremendous respect” they developed for each other. It was powerful, yet they were on such equal footing as rivals that it prevented them from becoming close friends. They played at least one final at every Grand Slam stop.
“Not much was separating our careers,” Djokovic said. “We played some incredible matches all over the world.”
