7/30/2019 Tennis in 2012 - A Year to Remember

1/2

2012A Year to remember

A maiden Grand-Slam victory for Andy Murray, a return to form for Roger Federer,

bookend wins for doughty Djokovic and a twelve major for Nadal; 2012 was a year to

remember. No one player reigned supreme, as did Federer from 2004 to 2007, Rafa in2010 or Djokovic in 2011. This was not a year for idol worship. Rather, a unique set

of circumstancesMurrays rise, a plateau in Djokovics form, Federers balletic

decline, ecstasy and agony for Nadalconspired to produce a year unequalled in

quality and drama.

It began at the Australian Open in January, with all eyes on Djokovic. He looked

vulnerable. Federer was back in form after a lean 2011 and Nadal was out for revenge

after being beaten by the Serb in successive Grand Slam finals. After whining his way

to defeat against Djokovic in the final of the 2011 Australian Open, Murray had

turned to the Czech hard-man and fitness fanatic, Ivan Lendl, for guidance. Against

all the odds, Djokovic withstood the barrage. He sneaked past a spirited Murray in a

five-set semi-final to face Nadal for the title. Two sets all, 4-2, 30-15 to Nadal: the

Mallorquin had a spring in his step and the Serb looked exhausted. But when Nadal

missed a routine passing shot down the line, Djokovic pounced.

Would 2011 mark the beginning of a Djokovic dynasty, just as surely as Federers

first Wimbledon victory in 2003 inaugurated a new era in mens tennis? Nadal was

having none of it. He stopped the rot with a win over Djokovic at Monte Carlo, his

first in eight finals against the Serb, and picked up two more Masters titles on his wayto Roland Garros. In the final, he defeated Djokovic in four sets to clinch a seventh

French Open title and remind the world that he is still the king of clay.

Yet on the grass of Wimbledon, it was Nadals turn to falterwhen he succumbed to

the inspired hitting of world number one hundred, Lucas Rosol. This opened up the

draw for Andy Murray. After a nervy match against Baghdatis in the early rounds,

Murray found his feet to dispatch Tsonga in the semi-final and set up a mouth-

watering encounter with Federer. British schadenfreude was replaced with genuine

hope. Murray started well, mixing aggression with dogged defence, to take the firstset. Fast-forward to the business end of the second and Federer was feeling the

pressure. Down break point at 4-4, he dropped the ball short, inviting Murray to step

up the court and crack it down the line. The Scot missed by an inch. Thereafter,

Federer bewitched and beguiled, conjuring his way to a four-set win.

Everyone knew how close Murray had been: the wobble in his voice in his post-match

interview said it all. Like the hero of Rudyard Kiplings poem If, Murray had staked

everything and lost, but, with the Olympics looming, he was all too ready to start

again at the beginning. Murrays Olympic semi-final against Djokovic proved that he

had grown as a result of the defeat. Urged on by a young crowd that cheered his every

7/30/2019 Tennis in 2012 - A Year to Remember

2/2

winner, Murray rose to the occasion. He alternated booming groundstrokes with well-

disguised dropshots and intricate touch play to leave Djokovic stranded, and despite

no small measure of Serbian brilliance, Murray won through 7-5, 7-5. In the final

against Federer, Murray proved that he had exorcised his demons: in a performance of

profound conviction, he brought the FedExpress to a standstill. For a brief moment,the nation embraced Murray as their own.

Yet he still chased a first Grand-Slam, the supreme prize that had eluded all British

hopefuls for the last seventy-six years. With Nadal out of the U.S. Open with

tendinitis of the knee and the tournament being contested on his favourite hard courts,

Murray was quietly confident. After a first set slip-up against Berdych in the semi-

final, Murray recovered to win in four and set up another clash with Djokovic.

On a balmy evening in early September, the Arthur Ashe stadium laid host to one of

the greatest finals of the modern era. The first and second sets followed a similar

script. Murray pulled ahead in the swirling breeze before Djokovic pegged him back,

only for Murray to spurt ahead once more. 7-6, 7-5 to the Brit. Then, for the space of

just over an hour, Djokovic was irresistible: he opened his shoulders and fired

winners left and right. Was Murray down and out or only biding his time? At the start

of the fifth, he dug in and the childhood friends went toe to toe in rallies so long that

the commentators were as breathless as the players. Murrays fitness and shot-making

saw him tussle, fight and grind before he sprinted for the line and victory. 7-6, 7-5, 2-

6, 3-6, 6-2 to Murray. He clasped his head in disbelief.

What have we learned from 2012? That tennis is a solitary game and that players must

win for themselves, not for their nation. The British have already forgotten what

Murray has achieved. The first grand-slam winner in 76 years and Olympic gold

medallist, Murray was booed off the court at the O2 Arena following defeat to Roger

Federer in the semi-finals of the end of season Masters. Like the consummate

professional that he is, however, Murray has sacrificed the dubious honour of

attending Sports Personality of the Year for gut-wrenching training in the heat of

Miami. Yet Murray wont suffer at the hands of this capricious public because he

wins for himself, not for Britain. If Lendls predictions offer any guide, there are

plenty more wins to come.