Andy Murray's career, spanning from a brash young Scottish talent to a seasoned veteran and legend of the ATP Tour, has been punctuated by numerous memorable rivalries. The 37-year-old has faced off against both older and younger players, forging a legacy through a series of intense battles with his contemporaries.
Murray's most significant rivalries undoubtedly involved his fellow members of the Big 4: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal. He faced each of these superstars at least 24 times, with Djokovic being his most frequent opponent at 36 encounters.
ATPTour.com delves into the history of these matchups and another crucial series against Stan Wawrinka, all of which have shaped Murray's competitive journey.
Murray vs. Djokovic (Lexus ATP Head2Head: 11-25)
Murray and Djokovic, born a week apart, have been fierce rivals since their early days on the ATP Masters 1000 circuit. Nine of their first 10 meetings occurred at this level, including their first seven between 2006 and 2009.
While Djokovic dominated their rivalry overall, Murray won their first two finals in Cincinnati and Miami before Djokovic emerged victorious in their first Grand Slam showdown at the 2011 Australian Open final. Murray, however, managed to win three consecutive matches between 2008 and 2009, including those finals in Cincinnati and Miami. In 2012, he triumphed twice against Djokovic: in the Olympic semi-final on his way to the gold medal in London, followed by a thrilling five-set US Open final victory that secured his first major title. These are the only instances where the Brit won back-to-back matches against Djokovic.
Two of the most significant wins of Murray's career came against Djokovic: his maiden Wimbledon title in 2013 and the championship match at the 2016 Nitto ATP Finals. The latter victory in London, a straight-sets victory, secured the year-end No. 1 spot in the PIF ATP Rankings.
"It's a very special day," said Murray after his 6-3, 6-4 victory at the 2016 season finale. "It's been a tough rivalry [with Djokovic]. I've lost many of them, but obviously I'm happy I've got the win today. To finish the year No. 1 is very special. It's something I never expected."
The pair met five times in 2016, all in finals, with Murray winning in Rome but Djokovic claiming the titles at the Australian Open, Roland Garros, and Madrid.
Murray and Djokovic are one of only two pairs of ATP Tour players to have contested the final at each of the four majors, the other being Djokovic and Nadal. The Serbian holds an 8-2 record against Murray at the Slams, including a 5-2 mark in major finals. Djokovic also leads in tour-level finals (11-8) and ATP Masters 1000s (14-6). However, he has never beaten Murray on grass, where the Brit holds a perfect 2-0 record.
Their rivalry has always been marked by mutual respect, as evidenced by their partnership in men's doubles at the 2006 Australian Open, when both were 19.
Murray vs. Federer (Lexus ATP Head2Head: 11-14)
Murray led Federer for much of their rivalry, but the Swiss ultimately claimed their last five meetings to finish with a narrow advantage. Murray holds a 6-3 edge at the ATP Masters 1000s, including consecutive 2010 final victories in Toronto and Shanghai, while Federer dominates at the majors with a 5-1 record.
Murray's Grand Slam struggles against Federer reached a climax in the 2012 Wimbledon final, where he lost in four sets despite a strong start on home soil. "I'm getting closer," he said through tears during the trophy ceremony, a statement that could be applied to his pursuit of a major title against Federer as much as his quest for a Wimbledon victory. Up to that point, Murray was 0-3 against the Swiss at the Slams, with all three encounters taking place in finals.
One month later, however, Murray dominated Federer in a straight-sets victory to claim the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
"It's number one for me, the biggest win of my life," Murray declared. "I have had a lot of tough losses in my career and this is the best way to come back from the Wimbledon final."
The confidence from this victory boosted Murray's belief, enabling him to overcome the hurdle at the All England Club the following year, where he defeated Djokovic to become the first British man to win the Wimbledon singles title since Fred Perry in 1936.
Murray and Federer also played five times at the Nitto ATP Finals, with Murray securing a comeback three-set win in 2008 before Federer swept their meetings in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2014. All but one of these year-end encounters took place in the round-robin stage, with their 2012 semi-final in London being the exception.
Seven of their last 16 matches, starting with the 2009 season finale, were played in London.
Murray vs. Nadal (Lexus ATP Head2Head: 7-17)
Murray lost his first five meetings against Nadal but broke the spell in the 2008 US Open semi-finals to reach his first Grand Slam final. Despite trailing in the Lexus ATP Head2Head, Murray held a 3-1 edge in tour-level finals against Nadal, winning in Rotterdam (2009), Tokyo (2011), and Madrid (2015).
Their rivalry peaked in 2011, featuring five meetings on some of the ATP Tour's most significant stages. Nadal won the first four - semi-finals at Monte-Carlo, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open - before Murray turned the tables in the Tokyo final.
Nadal held an 8-3 edge at the ATP Masters 1000s and a 7-2 advantage at the majors. The pair played only one five-set match: their very first encounter at the 2007 Australian Open, where Nadal triumphed after falling behind two sets to one. The Spaniard also won both their matches at the Nitto ATP Finals, with a semi-final victory in 2010 and a round-robin win in 2015.
Their 2010 meeting at the year-end event was one of the most dramatic of their 24 encounters, a 7-6(5), 3-6, 7-6(6) victory for Nadal. After three hours and 11 minutes of intense play in London, Nadal fought back from a 1/4 deficit in the decisive tie-break to advance to the title match.
"It was a great match," Murray said, his head held high in defeat. "Today is why I play tennis. I probably played one bad game the whole match, or maybe just a couple of bad points. Whether it's the best match I played and lost, I don't know."
Murray vs. Wawrinka (Lexus ATP Head2Head: 13-10)
Both three-time Grand Slam champions, Murray and Wawrinka, separated by just 26 months in age, clashed for 20 years on the ATP Tour, from 2005 to 2024. Their encounters often pitted Wawrinka's aggressive shotmaking and raw power against Murray's tactical precision and defensive prowess, adding a captivating dynamic to their matches on the biggest stages.
Murray won both the finals he contested against Wawrinka: one at the beginning of their rivalry (Doha 2008) and another nearer the end (Antwerp 2019). The Antwerp title was Murray's last on the ATP Tour, achieved after his hip resurfacing surgery.
"It means a lot," an emotional Murray said. "The last few years have been extremely difficult. Me and Stan have had a lot of injury problems in the last couple of years. Amazing to be back playing against him in a final like that."
These two met at every Grand Slam except the Australian Open, with Wawrinka holding a 5-3 edge at the Slams. They split two of their highest-stakes matches in consecutive Roland Garros semi-finals in 2016 and 2017. The ATP Masters 1000s saw an even 3-3 split, with four of those matchups going to three sets.
In 2023, their rivalry even extended to the ATP Challenger Tour, with Wawrinka defeating Murray in the first meeting between former Grand Slam champions in over 40 years.
Through these memorable rivalries, Andy Murray has etched his name into the history of the ATP Tour. His fierce determination, resilience, and exceptional talent have inspired a generation of tennis players, cementing his place as one of the sport's most celebrated figures.