An impressive streak of 18 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments quarterfinals ended as Andy Murray lost to Kevin Anderson in the fourth round of the US Open, but it shouldn’t be that surprising when he’s played more matches this season than anyone on tour.
Murray lost in four sets, all three sets lost in a tiebreak. He gave up all seven points in the final tiebreak, the first 0-7 of his career in such a situation, resulting in the end of his quarterfinals streak, that included making the final of the Australian Open earlier this year and two semifinals at the Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
While there’s still some Tennis to play in 2015, it always feels like a good opportunity to review the year that’s gone by. Murray hasn’t added to his tally of Grand Slam titles (standing at 2 right now), but he did win four titles: The Bavarian International Tennis Championships (an 250 tournament), the Queen’s championship leading up to Wimbledon and two Masters titles, one in Madrid and the other in Montreal.
The surprising aspect has been the two clay titles he picked up were the first of his career, not to mention the first finals of his career on clay. This doesn’t make him the next Rafael Nadal, but he even beat Nadal in Madrid to take the trophy, and it might mean that Murray has it in him to win more Grand Slam titles, even on the red surface in Paris.
Without a third Grand Slam title in 2015, he won’t describe this season (regardless of what happens from now until and through November) as anything but a disappointment. But Murray, who had a rough 2014, is still part of the elite in the Tennis world, more than capable of winning big titles, although he’s clearly behind Novak Djokovic and yes, still Roger Federer. Now it’s time to start another quarterfinals streak in the slams, although it’s going to have to wait a few months before he gets another opportunity.