I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
He's not even considered to be Scotland's greatest ever professional athlete.
I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
He's not even considered to be Scotland's greatest ever professional athlete.
I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
He's not even considered to be Scotland's greatest ever professional athlete.
Yeah but rock throwing isnt really a sport is it
Plus William Wallace was rebelling against the King of England so dont count
I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
He's not even considered to be Scotland's greatest ever professional athlete.
Charlie Wright is.
Indeed - Charlton's greatest and Scotland's finest ever international goalkeeper. Even if his only cap came playing for Hong Kong.
I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
He's not even considered to be Scotland's greatest ever professional athlete.
I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
He's not even considered to be Scotland's greatest ever professional athlete.
That does nothing to influence what I think
Nor was it supposed to. It just highlighted that his nation of birth think differently to you.
I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
If I was as big a dick as you I’d be straight on here to point out that Murray did not captain GB to Davis Cup victory, the captain is a non-playing role and it was Leon Smith. However I’m not so I won’t.
A tremendous sportsman, occasionally surly and pissed off (but then, we want our sporting heroes to care, don't we), but with what appears to be a very genuine warmth and sense of humour.
I hate tennis, but he's one of the few that I really liked (and not only because of his football comments).
And, it has to be said, I really admire him for the way in which, in a sporting environment where many of the leading lights say nothing for fear of damaging their sponsorship revenues, I have been mightily impressed with his willingness to raise his head above the parapet in support of equal treatment for women.
He's the sort of feminist that gives blokes a good name.
I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
If I was as big a dick as you I’d be straight on here to point out that Murray did not captain GB to Davis Cup victory, the captain is a non-playing role and it was Leon Smith. However I’m not so I won’t.
You could also point out that Chris Hoy retained Olympic titles, in two events, before Murray did it in one. As you say, you're not a dick, so you wont.
Also, don't point out that Adam Peaty is very much on course to be someone who replicates the achievement of defending Olympic titles.
Warmed to him after his tearful interview he gave on court after just losing his first Wimbledon final. I'm not a tennis fan but can appreciate that he is a sporting great.
I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
If I was as big a dick as you I’d be straight on here to point out that Murray did not captain GB to Davis Cup victory, the captain is a non-playing role and it was Leon Smith. However I’m not so I won’t.
I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
If I was as big a dick as you I’d be straight on here to point out that Murray did not captain GB to Davis Cup victory, the captain is a non-playing role and it was Leon Smith. However I’m not so I won’t.
You could also point out that Chris Hoy retained Olympic titles, in two events, before Murray did it in one. As you say, you're not a dick, so you wont.
Also, don't point out that Adam Peaty is very much on course to be someone who replicates the achievement of defending Olympic titles.
Perhaps for the hard of thinking I should have explained I was referring just to Olympic tennis. I'm sorry if that caused you confusion.
I think he's Britain's greatest ever professional athlete and I am not sure whether anyone will be able to disabuse me of that notion.
And, despite the eleven grand slam finals, three grand slam wins and captaining GB to the Davis Cup, I think the biggest, best achievement of his career was to retain the Olympic title. No-one had ever done that before; it's difficult to imagine anyone doing it in the future.
He's not even considered to be Scotland's greatest ever professional athlete.
That does nothing to influence what I think
Nor was it supposed to. It just highlighted that his nation of birth think differently to you.
I only speak for myself. I wouldn't presume to know the opinion of an entire nation.
A tremendous sportsman, occasionally surly and pissed off (but then, we want our sporting heroes to care, don't we), but with what appears to be a very genuine warmth and sense of humour.
I hate tennis, but he's one of the few that I really liked (and not only because of his football comments).
And, it has to be said, I really admire him for the way in which, in a sporting environment where many of the leading lights say nothing for fear of damaging their sponsorship revenues, I have been mightily impressed with his willingness to raise his head above the parapet in support of equal treatment for women.
He's the sort of feminist that gives blokes a good name.
This is what makes Murray one of the all-time greats: engendering respect an admiration from people who dislike the sport.
I think that's very likely. Even if he's half-fit, I'd imagine he'd want a swansong rather than pulling out. And he'll deserve every second of the standing ovation he would get.
A great sportsman who has done a lot for tennis. His mentoring of young British players will be a huge benefit to them. I hope he exceeds expectations in his last few tournaments
He’s a top bloke and a wonderful sportsman. Head and shoulders our best ever tennis player. I don’t think you can rank him against others from different sports, but if you did he’d be up there.
A top sportsman and obviously a real professional.
Will only realise and remember how good he has been when we're back to the regular struggles of any British player making it beyond the first few days at Wimbledon. And that's not a slight on the other players, but a credit to how good he was at his best.
Also, in the age of celebrity it is interesting that I wouldn't have a clue what his children look like. His public profile has all been about his tennis, but hopefully he will be able to get his hip fixed so that he can properly enjoy his time with them growing up.
I will clarify something I posted earlier, because it appears that some people haven't properly understood the precise meaning I intended to convey in the tribute I made to Andy Murray. So here it is again, in less ambiguous terms.
I think Andy Murray is Britain's greatest-ever professional athlete. And I think the greatest achievement of Andy Murray's career is not his tennis grand slam final appearances or his tennis grand slam wins. It's not the Davis Cup win. It's the fact he's the only tennis player to retain a men's singles Olympic title. I think that - of all his achievements - will be the one that is hardest to beat.
Top guy and a genuine great. Was unfortunate that during his peak he was the fourth best player in the world by a comfortable margin in both directions. Without Federer, Djokovic and Nadal around he’d have stacked up about 15 grand slams as he was miles better than the rest. It’s to his enormous credit that he managed that relatively short purple period where he cleared up. My suspicion is that the tears now are partly down to him having been so driven (I’ve always found Judy Murray hard to like albeit for no rational reason) either willingly or otherwise since he could walk that he’s now reached his 30s with the stunning realisation that it’s all over and he hasn’t got a clue what else to do now he’s just a “normal” bloke, albeit one with zillions in the bank and a lovely family who will want for nothing. He’s got to find something to do and I guess, like the rest of us in our own version of those circumstances, he’s at a crossroads with a lot of choices and no real idea which to choose. Good luck to him and thanks for the memories. British tennis is about to find out the debt of gratitude that it owes him.
Top guy and a genuine great. Was unfortunate that during his peak he was the fourth best player in the world by a comfortable margin in both directions. Without Federer, Djokovic and Nadal around he’d have stacked up about 15 grand slams as he was miles better than the rest. It’s to his enormous credit that he managed that relatively short purple period where he cleared up. My suspicion is that the tears now are partly down to him having been so driven (I’ve always found Judy Murray hard to like albeit for no rational reason) either willingly or otherwise since he could walk that he’s now reached his 30s with the stunning realisation that it’s all over and he hasn’t got a clue what else to do now he’s just a “normal” bloke, albeit one with zillions in the bank and a lovely family who will want for nothing. He’s got to find something to do and I guess, like the rest of us in our own version of those circumstances, he’s at a crossroads with a lot of choices and no real idea which to choose. Good luck to him and thanks for the memories. British tennis is about to find out the debt of gratitude that it owes him.
I totally agree that, were it not for the fact that Murray's career was at its peak at the same time as three other behemoths of tennis (Federer, Djokovic, Nadal) he would have won many more grand slam titles. But it's also interesting to see how often he got knocked out by someone he should have beaten. It wasn't just those three giants that knocked him out of grand slam events. Between his first grand slam final and his most recent, he was knocked out by Verdasco, Cilic, Berdych, Roddick, Ferrer, Wawrinka, Anderson and Dimitrov. WIth the exception of Wawrinka (and making the point that Roddick was past his best by the time he beat Murray) all of those names are well below the highest rank of grand slam players.
So he probably would have won many more titles without the three most prestigious opponents. But probably not as many as most think.
Top guy and a genuine great. Was unfortunate that during his peak he was the fourth best player in the world by a comfortable margin in both directions. Without Federer, Djokovic and Nadal around he’d have stacked up about 15 grand slams as he was miles better than the rest. It’s to his enormous credit that he managed that relatively short purple period where he cleared up. My suspicion is that the tears now are partly down to him having been so driven (I’ve always found Judy Murray hard to like albeit for no rational reason) either willingly or otherwise since he could walk that he’s now reached his 30s with the stunning realisation that it’s all over and he hasn’t got a clue what else to do now he’s just a “normal” bloke, albeit one with zillions in the bank and a lovely family who will want for nothing. He’s got to find something to do and I guess, like the rest of us in our own version of those circumstances, he’s at a crossroads with a lot of choices and no real idea which to choose. Good luck to him and thanks for the memories. British tennis is about to find out the debt of gratitude that it owes him.
you could say that for any era though.
60's without : Emerson / Laver 70's without : Borg /Connors/ Newcombe 80's without : Lendl /Willander / McEnroe / Edberg / Becker 90's without : Sampras / Agassi
Although this has probably been inevitable since almost his last Wimbledon major win I still think it's sad. Overly sensitive people getting offended because he said what any proper Scot would say regarding the English national team is ridiculous.
He's a winner, a grafter and possibly one of the greatest ever British sportsmen.
I didn't think I'd ever see a British player win Wimbledon and he did so having suffered defeat and setback and a lot of people not appreciating someone who was amongst the elite of Federer, Djokovic and Nadal.
He also got to where he did by grafting and taking his lumps
We can go back to watching home counties poshos going out in the first round now for years and years.
What a top player and person, probably the greatest British Sportsmen.
I know there's a lot on the Wimbledon wins, but my favourite win of his was Rio 2016 against Juan Martin del Potro in the final, utterly brutal tennis.
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Plus William Wallace was rebelling against the King of England so dont count
If I was as big a dick as you I’d be straight on here to point out that Murray did not captain GB to Davis Cup victory, the captain is a non-playing role and it was Leon Smith. However I’m not so I won’t.
I hate tennis, but he's one of the few that I really liked (and not only because of his football comments).
And, it has to be said, I really admire him for the way in which, in a sporting environment where many of the leading lights say nothing for fear of damaging their sponsorship revenues, I have been mightily impressed with his willingness to raise his head above the parapet in support of equal treatment for women.
He's the sort of feminist that gives blokes a good name.
Also, don't point out that Adam Peaty is very much on course to be someone who replicates the achievement of defending Olympic titles.
Will only realise and remember how good he has been when we're back to the regular struggles of any British player making it beyond the first few days at Wimbledon.
And that's not a slight on the other players, but a credit to how good he was at his best.
Also, in the age of celebrity it is interesting that I wouldn't have a clue what his children look like.
His public profile has all been about his tennis, but hopefully he will be able to get his hip fixed so that he can properly enjoy his time with them growing up.
I think Andy Murray is Britain's greatest-ever professional athlete. And I think the greatest achievement of Andy Murray's career is not his tennis grand slam final appearances or his tennis grand slam wins. It's not the Davis Cup win. It's the fact he's the only tennis player to retain a men's singles Olympic title. I think that - of all his achievements - will be the one that is hardest to beat.
So he probably would have won many more titles without the three most prestigious opponents. But probably not as many as most think.
60's without : Emerson / Laver
70's without : Borg /Connors/ Newcombe
80's without : Lendl /Willander / McEnroe / Edberg / Becker
90's without : Sampras / Agassi
He's a winner, a grafter and possibly one of the greatest ever British sportsmen.
I didn't think I'd ever see a British player win Wimbledon and he did so having suffered defeat and setback and a lot of people not appreciating someone who was amongst the elite of Federer, Djokovic and Nadal.
He also got to where he did by grafting and taking his lumps
We can go back to watching home counties poshos going out in the first round now for years and years.
Happy retirement Andy Murray
I know there's a lot on the Wimbledon wins, but my favourite win of his was Rio 2016 against Juan Martin del Potro in the final, utterly brutal tennis.