Made for more

He came, he saw, he lost, and then he fought and finally conquered.

This one sentence could well surmise -for those with little, but not dangerous, knowledge of history and modern day tennis- the trials and travails of tennis’ ‘ex-choker’ Andy Murray.

Till that Monday night in New York, Murray resembled a long distance runner who, having led the entire race pulls a hamstring paces ahead of the finish line. The Scot had reached four Grand Slam finals but ended them on a tearful note going back home with the runner-up trophy. So regular had been this episode that the inevitable tag of being a ‘choker’ was becoming an unfair reality. But a marathon final has now altered equations and Murray can start with renewed vigour having won the Olympic gold and his first Major.

Given his credentials Murray is not a one-Slam man. History is replete with surprise winners of one Major- players, who like a stray lightening on an otherwise calm and breezy day, surprise us by their sudden emergence and disappearance. Murray has always been an out an out champion’s material. He is not just a lucky survivor, but the fierce fighter destined to rule. To elaborate Murray is a potential No. 1 and good enough to win a bagful of Grand Slams. This is no mere fancy because the golden era Murray has been part of is bound to see a change of guard very soon.

The larger than life Roger Federer is slowing down his perfection giving way to unforced errors, even though on any given day he is the bookmaker’s favourite. Rafael Nadal’s knee is taking the toll and given his style of play his agility on the baseline can be affected. So out of the big four, Murray and Novak Djokovic could start a new rivalry, one that can even rival that between Federer and Nadal.

In this context, Murray’s win at the Flushing Meadows and breaking the Grand Slam drought were necessary to get the proverbial monkey off his back. But this is no time to relax either and Murray’s unit knows it best. His coach, the legendary Ivan Lendl, has already chalked out plans to take Murray to the top and given the shelf life of a tennis player’s prime the Scot does not have the time which Federer, Nadal or Djokovic have had. By 25, that is Murray’s age, Nadal had won 10 Grand Slams (he won his first in Paris as a 19-year-old), Federer had nine Majors (starting with the Wimbledon as a 22-year-old) and Djokovic, 25 now, has five (he tasted Slam success in Melbourne four years back). So in sheer numbers, since they at times are a measure of greatness, Murray is way behind.

Nonetheless that does not dampen the spirit either and as Britain’s son of the moment looks ahead he can at least do so singing heartily, “Say goodbye to the world you thought you live in.”