With the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc on the sporting calendar this time last year, Wimbledon was one of the many major events to be cancelled in the wake of the global pandemic.
However, the good news is that the famous lawn tennis Grand Slam is back! In fact, it’s currently underway at SW19 as we speak. The other feel-good factor about this year’s tournament is the return of two-time champion Andy Murray.
The Scot hasn’t featured at Wimbledon since he reached the quarter-final in 2017, and while he certainly won’t be favoured in the odds for Wimbledon 2021, there’s no doubt he’ll have the nation urging him from courtside, ‘Murray Mound’ and at home as usual.
Of course, tennis fans will never forget the 34-year-old’smaiden Wimbledon triumph in 2013, when Murray ended that mammoth 77-year wait for a British winner of the Championships.
So, as we soak in what promises to be yet another fantastic year at Wimbledon, let’s take a look back at how Murray got his hands on that prestigious gold trophy for the first time. Read on to find out more!
First Round – Benjamin Becker
Murray faced Benjamin Becker, who is of no relation to former World No. 1 Boris Becker, in the first round of the tournament and the German posed no real threat to the Scot, with Murray breezing through to the second round in straight sets (6-4, 6-3, 6-2).
Second Round – Lu Yen-hsun
Having lost to Lu Yen-hsun at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Murray was no stranger to his second round opponent. However, there was to be no upset from the Taiwanese professional this time, as Murray once again won in straight sets (6-3, 6-3, 7-5).
Third Round – Tommy Robredo
Tommy Robredo was Murray’s first seeded opponent, with the Spaniard ranked 32nd. But he didn’t prove any tougher for the now 34-year-old, with Murray winning 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 to secure a third straight-sets victory in a row.
Fourth Round – Mikhail Youzhny
Murray was wasting no time with yet another straight-set victory over Mikhail Youzhny in the fourth round. However, it wasn’t as straight forward as his previous three outings, as the Russian forced a tie-breaker in the second set of the match — which ultimately finished 6-4, 7-6(7-5), 6-1.
Quarter-finals – Fernando Verdasco
Murray survived a scare against the unseeded Fernando Verdasco in the quarter-finals. The Spaniard had a favourable draw to reach the last eight, playing just one seeded player, 31st seed Julien Benneteau, and many predicted an easy victory for the Scot.
However, Verdasco won the first two sets and left Murray with a massive hill to climb. Thankfully, the Scot still had enough firepower to ensure he won the next three sets, putting on an almighty comeback to win 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-5.
Semi-finals – Jerzy Janowicz
Murray had his work cut out again in the semi-finals, where he lost the first set tie-breaker to 24th seed Jerzy Janowicz. But there was to be no upset from the Polish player, and Murray bounced back to win the next three sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.
Final – Novak Djokovic
The final was a blockbuster match with No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic, and whilst Murray was the slight underdog against the Serbian, he would have beenbrimming with confidence having beaten Djokovic in the US Open final the previous year.
With the nation behind him and Djokovic perhaps a tad tired having been involved in a gruelling semi-final with Juan Martin del Potro, which lasted almost five hours, Murray prevailed in straight sets — winning 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.