Andy Murray and Milos Raonic were arguably two of the stars of 2016. They met in the Australian Open semi-finals in a five-set thriller won by Murray, at Queens (W, Murray) Wimbledon (W, Murray) and the ATP World Tour Finals. They started the year as they ended it with a sensational semi-final, at the ATP World Tour Finals, that saw Murray edge a deciding tie-break that had seen both men hold match points.
Andy Murray defeats Milos Raonic 5-7, 7-6, 7-6.
Yet it was their meeting at the ATP World Tour Finals in London that sees them make this list. In what turned into Murray’s longest ever three-set match, and the longest seen at the O2 in London, Murray recovered from the loss of the first set, and facing a match point in the deciding tie break to win the tournament’s longest match en route to picking up his first title at the season-ending championships, and claiming the year-end No.1 ranking for the first time.
Raonic had started the first set well, settling strongly into a serving rhythm that Murray was struggling to cope with. Raonic was attacking the Murray serve, finding particular success against the second serve, with Murray struggling to reach eight miles per hour. It was this aggressive returning attitude that saw Raonic edge the first set with a late break.
The second set saw the World No. 1 fight off some Raonic pressure as a vociferous home crowd got behind the British star. Raonic threatened an early break but Murray averted trouble and the set went to the first of two tie-breaks in the match. Murray took control of the tie-break, using his superior movement and some deft touches at the net to level the scores at a set apiece.
Murray, now with the momentum took what appeared to be final control of the match with a break in the third, and served for the match. Raonic on the edge of defeat broke back and the match was back on. Murray broke again, but again squandered the chance to make the final, as Raonic sought to make amends for his three high-profile defeats to Murray earlier in the season.
Raonic’s attempts were ultimately in vain however, as the Canadian’s challenge broke down at the end of a sensational tie-break that was full of drama. Murray took the early advantage, earning three match points. Raonic went aggressively with his serve and then pounced on a timid serve by Murray to level at eight-all. The tall Canadian earned his own match point but Murray’s ground-stroke play thwarted him, closing down Raonic’s play with a volley to end the point.
Murray then had match point again, but against the Raonic serve. The World No.1 neutralised the point before Raonic went all in on a forehand. Murray retrieved it and the Canadian then played his next forehand into the net to end what had been a pulsating, dramatic encounter that was surely one of the best to have graced the ATP World Tour Finals stage.
Murray will likely now be seeded No.1 at a Grand Slam for the first time next season, assuming that he and Djokovic do not swap places in the early events of next season.
After breaking through to reach his maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in 2016, Raonic will be looking to go one better and earn his first Slam crown in 2017. After performances like the one he produced in London, few would doubt his chances.
