Djokovic or Murray: Who is the real winner in 2016?

The beauty of sports is that it never follows the script. When the sports fandom is all set to get mesmerized by one player’s dominance, another player starts his inexorable rise.

In a season where the much beloved Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were conspicuous by their absence due to injuries, ATP tennis at the top tier basically became a two-horse race. 

He surged to five titles in his first eight ATP tournaments of the year and his riches included his sixth Australian Open crown, his fourth Indian Wells-Miami Masters double, his second title at the Madrid Masters apart from the ATP Doha trophy. Murray was never far away as he met the Serb in the finals of two out of those five events but the World No. 1 always had something extra in terms of an unwavering focus and an insatiable hunger for success.

Could this herald a change? Is this a sign of things to come? Is Murray the man who can stop Djokovic? Will Djokovic’s Career Slam dream remain a dream forever?

These were undoubtedly the questions swirling in every tennis aficionado’s minds. Yet when the French Open final came, it was that one man reigning supreme again just like he did at the Melbourne Park earlier in the year.

By the time, he revitalized himself to a somewhat extent in the fourth set, Djokovic was already sniffing victory.

The role reversal

It gave Djokovic everything that he had ever dreamt of as he etched his name in history. And it compelled Murray to make a much-needed self-introspection and ask himself the question that long needed to be answered!

There was never any doubt about Murray's immense talent but there was always such a wide gap between what he was capable of producing and what he could actually do under pressure. His bane was always his on-court antics that let him down countless times.

And that attitude was what was to be blamed for his split with former coach, Amelie Mauresmo.

He realized how his defeatism and tantrums had proved to be detrimental to his own career. He had forever resigned himself to being the weakest wheel of the famed Big Four quartet comprising Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and himself. 

From being the scowling Murray, who would berate himself frequently, he became the architect of his own wins in an astounding role reversal that the world watched in awe and could only applaud at. There was no doubt, no fear, no tentative play. They were all replaced by a newfound audacity, a shining positivity, an unshakable conviction, an enviable composure and most importantly an unquenchable thirst to become the very best.

At the same time, Djokovic’s graph nosedived as Murray soared higher and higher. With his lifelong ambition achieved, the 12-time Major winner had absolutely nothing to look forward to. Shorn of any kind of motivation, all Djokovic had since his Paris feat was a void, a deep one that engulfed all his emotions and left him pitifully empty.

How Murray dethroned Djokovic

Murray, in contrast, was unstoppable. He owned the grass season, emerging victorious at both the Queen’s and Wimbledon. He kept his winning streak intact at the Rio Olympics en route to taking his second gold medal.

There was no slip, no stutter since the US Open. He slowly and steadily shaved off the massive points difference between him and Djokovic as tennis fans watched in astonishment. 

In just five months, the Scot overcame the colossal 8000 + points, eventually unseating Djokovic from the top spot as he kept on adding to his burgeoning tally. He went unbeaten in two tournaments in China, then triumphed at Vienna and the Paris Masters, culminating in his maiden ATP World Tour Finals title.

His fabulous 24-match winning streak to close the 2016 season coupled with nine titles took the spotlight away from Djokovic’s haul of seven titles. Even in the number of match wins, Murray was way ahead – he had 78 wins to the French Open champion’s paltry 65.

After all those setbacks, 2016 gave him a chance to find the winning formula which was there within himself all along. Shedding all the negativity that would hold him back, he finally succeeded in discovering his very best self that had remained cocooned so far.

And that is the very reason why the 2016 season had only one winner and it was indisputably, Andy Murray.