Tomas Machac and Jakub Mensik both had the pleasure of facing Andy Murray during his final year on tour.
The Scotsman’s prime was well behind him on both occasions, and his body had been failing him for years, yet his dedication to the sport remained unwavering.
He continued to show up and fight throughout 2024 against some of the sport’s best, whether they be young or old.
Unsurprisingly, this experience and the legacy that he had built across the previous decade and beyond earned instant respect from the two Czechs.
Tomas Machac recalls beating Andy Murray in Miami Open
Speaking on the UTS Talk Show, they both shared their experiences on facing the 38-year-old to Casper Ruud.
Machac was the first to lead the praise, stating: ‘I can remember for Andy because I was playing Miami last year and he was struggling, he twisted an ankle but he was playing like with the pain.’
Mensik chimed in: ‘He’s a machine.’
Machac then continued: ‘The match was three hours 40 minutes and he was still playing with the pain. At the end of the match, this match, I was asking myself the question how it is possible that Andy is playing always [with pain] the matches so long.’
This sparked Mensik to then reply: ‘He looks like he’s going to die, sometimes walking like he’s going to die then out of nowhere he’s just running everywhere.’
Andy Murray remains a legend of the sport
It’s a testament to Andy Murray’s commitment to the sport that, just six months after retiring as a player, he was back on tour in the form of a coach alongside Novak Djokovic.
Even if it did not last long, with Murray and Djokovic parting ways earlier this month, it was great to see that the three-time Grand Slam champion is still keen to stay in and around elite tennis.
He grew up in inarguably the toughest era in tennis history, having to face the prime versions of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic as well as iconic figures like Juan Martin del Potro, Stan Wawrinka, David Ferrer and Marin Cilic.
And yet, despite this, Murray managed to compete regularly, winning three Grand Slam titles, two Olympic Gold medals, and even involving himself in the conversation with this legendary trio to forge ‘The Big Four’.
One of the most respected and adored players that the tour has had in recent memory, he remains a bonafide legend of the sport.
