When trying to analyze Andy Murray's professional career some things and stats may seem quite unusual. He has been around the top tier of men's tennis for a decade now, and nothing came out easy for the Brit. Having to deal with one of the strongest eras of men's tennis, the margins were thin for him, adding up to pre-existent pressure. At 30-years-old, he is at a crossroad and some adjustments must be made if he wants to remain relevant for a few more seasons. Usually, Andy Murray plays around 80 matches a year but his latest hip injury and the lengthy recovery period might influence his scheduling for the years to come.
He hasn't played an official game since that Wimbledon match against Sam Querrey. Obviously injured and in distress, Andy Murray chose not to abandon the match and that fact may have worsened that hip condition.
Andy Murray didn't have the opportunity to enjoy his success
Back in 2016, Andy Murray delivered one of the strongest finishing runs in years that eventually earned him the top spot, dethroning Novak Djokovic as the world No. 1 in the ATP ranking. While at the summit for the first time in his career, Andy Murray didn't have the time or the opportunity to enjoy his reign. Whether it was a decrease of on-court form or a health issue, his reign was short and it lacked luster.
The hip injury was not the only one of the year as the former world No.
1 had an elbow issue during the first swing on hardcourt which prevented him from delivering some of the good stuff earlier in the spring. The current season will mark an unfortunate record on Murray's behalf as he will fail to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in London having previously qualified every year since 2008.
Murray should get more credit for keeping himself close to the tennis greats
In an era with names like Federer, Nadal or Djokovic, Andy Murray represents the survivor. Those three Grand Slam titles are just one side of the story as he has other eight Major finals under his belt. At any other point in history, Murray would have been a dominant figure.
What puts him in the driving seat and ultimately gives him a particular feel is winning two consecutive gold medal at the Olympics. His triumphs in London and then Rio are the unique parts of his career.
In recent years, Stan Wawrinka raced from behind to match Murray's numbers in terms of Grand Slam titles. But the second best Swiss player can't be put in the same pot with the Brit as Andy Murray has a better record when it comes to consistency, that hard-to-achieve feature for any tennis player bearing high expectations on the shoulders.
