Improve his record against Djokovic
They are arch-rivals on the court and perhaps Murray’s biggest opponent has been Novak Djokovic. The Serb, until the end of 2016, led that record 25-11 – a record he extended to 26-11 following a title win over Murray at the finals of the ATP Qatar Open in Doha last week.
Djokovic has beaten Murray, as he has many of his opponents, on every single surface – indoor, outdoor, clay, hard, grass. Murray’s defense has, perhaps, even been honed to an extent by Djokovic’s explosive offensive baseline attacks. The two have no doubt fed off each other in improving their skills, but much like another iconic head-to-head record – that of former No. 1s Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, this rivalry too is slanted firmly in one direction – that of Novak Djokovic.
The 2016 season saw Murray part ways with French ace Amelie Mauresmo and return to coaching with Czech former No. 1 Ivan Lendl, a move that has paid off in spades for Murray.
Murray is high on morale this year and self-belief, and this time, he will be bolstered by the fact that he should be able to hold that ranking well into the season. That aside, Murray has also been newly knighted – making him the only knighted tennis player in action and one of the youngest people to be knighted.
Having also set a record for the country, Murray has now found increased support within and outside Great Britain, where support had in the past been polarized. In addition to obvious factors such as his immense fitness,
How did Novak Djokovic meet Jelena Ristic? All about the most admired couples in tennis
