The Baseline Top 5: Andy Murray's Aussie Open moments

It’s a shame that Andy Murray will have to miss the Australian Open this year, the second in a row that he won’t be making the trip to Melbourne, especially as it’s been the site of so many memorable moments. Should he return in 2022, the former world No. 1 will look to add to his list of accomplishments. Here’s a look at some of the feats he’s pulled off over the years. (Photos: Getty Images)

1

Playing for the Top Prize

Five years after his debut in Melbourne, Murray made his first appearance in the final, where Roger Federer stopped him. The Scot returned to the championship round in 2011, but this time it was Djokovic who came out on top. Murray would go on to reach the final three more times at the tournament, losing to Djokovic on each of those occasions. While he has yet to lift the first-place trophy at the end, the Australian Open has been his best Grand Slam in terms of final-round appearances.

2

Seventh Heaven

In the 2010s, there was no question that Murray felt comfortable in Australia. Not only did he make all those finals, but he also went seven straight years with reaching the quarterfinals or better during the decade, with a 2012 semifinal and ’14 quarterfinal the only time he didn’t play for the championship over that stretch.

3

An Epic Win Over Federer

Murray has only played a handful of matches that have gone the distance in Melbourne. One of his most noteworthy battles came against the six-time champion Roger Federer in the 2013 semifinals. Murray took a two-sets-to-one lead before the Swiss battled back to force a decider. Any momentum that might have been on his side, though, was quickly extinguished by Murray, who won the fifth set to book a place in the final.

4

Sitting on Top of the Draw

In 2016, the race for the year-end No. 1 spot in the men’s rankings came down to the wire for Murray and Novak Djokovic, with the Scot clinching it at the end. The result set Murray up for a new milestone at the 2017 Australian Open: He was the top seed at a Grand Slam for the first time in his career. Murray started the tournament like a No. 1, winning his first three matches in straight sets before Mischa Zverev stopped him in the round of 16.

5

Victory in a Loss

Murray was rather convinced that the 2019 Australian Open was going to be the last of his storied career in Melbourne, as he tearfully announced to the world that the pain in his hip might force him to retire early. The draw gods didn’t do him any favors as he faced the always-tough Roberto Bautista Agut in the opening round. Murray won the first two sets, then lost the next two in tiebreaks. From there, Bautista Agut raced through the decider, but not before Murray showed that he wasn’t done with the game just yet after such a strong performance.