After a chastening loss to 30th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round of the Australian Open, Andy Murray almost appeared resigned to kissing Melbourne goodbye for one final time. “Yeah, it’s a definite possibility that will be the last time I play here. I think probably because of how the match went and everything, I don’t know,” said the Scot. He was retired prematurely by the tournament organisers via a melodramatic montage in 2019 so "definite possibility" probably means there will be a return. It's been a bitter and rarely sweet venue for the five-time runner-up.
Just 12 months ago, the very same player had toughed it out for an aggregate of ten-and-half-hours to beat Matteo Berrettini and Thanasi Kokkinakis over the course of ten grueling sets. The latter match didn’t finish until 4 a.m. local time.
This 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 defeat to the Argentinian was the lamest possible follow-up. Rather than the full Murray package of fightbacks, self-flagellation, shouting at his box and whipping up the crowd, the 36-year-old was barely there in terms of physical presence. Tim Henman described it as a “painful watch.” Murray didn't want a marathon battle. He didn't get one.
Towards the end of last season, there was a tendency for Murray to lose from positions of dominance. His defeat to Alex de Minaur in the Paris Masters in October was particularly excruciating, having been 5-2 up in the decider and thrown away three match points in their previous encounter at the China Open. At least there were signs that Murray was still alive and competitive but something was changing in his self-belief. “When I play a good point, I’m not really getting behind myself and then, in the important moments, that will to win and fight that has always been quite a big, big part of my game … ," he mused. When fighting becomes driftwood, there's nothing left.
Murray was still enrapturing the Wimbledon crowd in July before just failing to overcome Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round. It was an irksome loss because he knew that he is a better grass court player than the Greek. Not doing what was previously a real sure thing can drive a man to distraction. His other most recent Grand Slam defeat was more akin to the mauling he received on Monday and equally dispiriting. Grigor Dimitrov overran the Scot in straight sets at Flushing Meadows. Again, Murray won only eight games in the whole contest. His body language collapsed inwards as defeat became inevitable.
Murray’s last victory against a top 10 player at a Grand Slam was almost seven years ago when he beat Kei Nishikori at the quarter-final stage in Roland Garros in 2017. A return to the world’s top 40 in June last year after five years outside the elite following two major hip surgeries was his major achievement. There's another 36-year-old still in town with a cleaner health record who's hoovering up Slams.
It shows an astonishing resilience and work ethic to keep ploughing on. The difference is that any sense of enjoyment looks absent in recent months. It's a turgid job and the creativity has been shelved. The Scot looks like he needs a laugh stacking shelves.
Murray isn't able to execute his serve as well. He is more passive. He was playing fine for portions of last year and won three Challenger titles. In more recent times, a tipping point has been reached where the lifeblood of his tennis soul is seeping away. Eight defeats in the last twelve is a worry.
The three-time Grand Slam champion and double-Olympic gold medallist has always worn his heart on his sleeve. It’s part of the package. Without it, he is like Hercules with a receding hairline. In his pomp, Murray was more driven than William Wallace going into battle against the English.
He simply can’t keep delivering a Mel Gibson performance when the first arrows are piercing vital armoury. There’s a creeping sense of realisation that time, or at least a rethink, needs to be called after this latest retreat. Murray is not a quitter, but he has a decision to make if working hard is no longer enough.
