When he won Wimbledon in 2013, Murray ended a 77-year wait for a homegrown male champion and he repeated his triumph this year. He has also made history as the first player to retain an Olympic singles title. His 44 career titles leave him well out in front of the British competition, and his three majors place him in elite company worldwide.
He insists there is more still to come from him. “This has been a great year but there are improvements I can make and I’m looking forward to getting back on court in 2017,” he said. Murray is also the runaway favourite to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year next week, for what would be an unprecedented third time.
The panel of sporting experts who helped decide the top 100 included the former Olympic sprinter Darren Campbell, who commented on Murray: “Being in the top three of the world would be enough for most people, but for Andy it wasn’t. Finally getting to No1 was about turning that adversity into success.”
Sir Ian McGeechan, four-time head coach of the British and Irish Lions, agreed. “We forget how mental toughness can be grown through sport and he has had to do that. We have seen a player mature not just physically but mentally as well, and he is now an outstanding world No1.”