Andy Murray Opens Up on Being Grouped With Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic in Tennis’ ‘Big Four’
Andy Murray has shared his honest thoughts on being mentioned alongside Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic as part of men’s tennis’ famous “Big Four.” While proud of his career, the former World No. 1 admitted that his achievements don’t measure up to the legendary trio.
Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion, double Olympic gold medalist, and winner of 46 career titles, spent much of his career chasing Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. Although he enjoyed an outstanding prime between the late 2000s and 2017, injuries and surgeries limited his longevity at the very top.
Speaking to British GQ, Murray reflected on the “Big Four” label, explaining that it came about because all four of them consistently battled deep into the latter stages of the biggest tournaments.
“It’s always tough, because I know what those guys achieved is way ahead of what I managed. But the ‘Big Four’ term started because, at almost every Grand Slam or Masters event, two, three, or even four of us were there competing for the titles.”
Murray also recalled how a hip injury in 2017 cut short his time among the sport’s elite.
“When I injured my hip, I was World No. 1. Sadly, I couldn’t get back to that level again. But from the age of 22 to 29, I was regularly in the mix with them and had some great battles.”
Looking back, Murray admitted he often felt like “the plus one” in the group, but he cherishes moments such as his historic 2013 Wimbledon victory, where he defeated Djokovic in the final.
“There was always a chance I could win, and fans knew it was a special time in tennis with three of the greatest ever competing together. I was the plus one, unfortunately. But to win Wimbledon by beating the best player of all time, I’m proud of that.”
Statistically, Murray trails each of the three greats in head-to-head records—11-14 against Federer, 7-17 against Nadal, and 11-25 against Djokovic. Earlier this year, he even briefly joined Djokovic’s coaching team, but the partnership ended before the Geneva Open after disappointing results.
