Big or small, numbers can mean a lot in tennis. The figures posted by Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu as they opened their respective campaigns in Indian Wells on Friday differed markedly, yet both felt significant.
Murray’s numerical landmark came in the form of a 700th career victory, achieved in characteristically tenacious fashion as he fought back from a set down to defeat Taro Daniel of Japan 1-6, 6-2, 6-4. For Raducanu, meanwhile, a 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 win over Caroline Garcia marked not only her first victory at a tournament where she was beaten on her debut last year by Aliaksandra Sasnovich, but also her first at any WTA 1000 event. There will be many more to come for the 19-year-old but, for now, the vast gulf in experience between the two Britons could not be more evident.
There was a time when a match-win milestone might have passed largely unnoticed by Murray, who has traditionally measured success in the hard currency of silverware rather than statistics. That, though, was before the injury saga that began with the arduous pursuit of another arithmetical high-point – No 1 in the world – and culminated, just over three years ago, with a hip resurfacing operation. Equipped with a metal hip and an altered perspective, Murray now appreciates his distinguished body of work in a way that he perhaps wouldn’t have done had injury not intervened.
“I wouldn’t say during my career I was focused on match wins, numbers and things like that,” said Murray, who will face Alexander Bublik in round two after recovering from a break down in the decider to beat Daniel. “However, as I’ve got older, you’re coming towards the end of your career, there’s certain milestones, things that would be nice to achieve. Obviously, not many players have managed to [reach 700 wins].
“I was on course to get there quite a few years ago. It’s been tough. Reaching that number is a really, really good achievement. It’s not been easy getting there. Greg [Rusedski] was telling me I got to 600 in Cincinnati in 2016. Five and a half years to get the last 100. So it’s taken a while.
“I do look at that stuff now. Like I do look at the other players that are around me, around those numbers. It gives me some motivation and encouragement to try to get higher and win more matches.”
It was in 2016 that Murray stretched his body beyond breaking point, winning five tournaments in a row to dethrone Novak Djokovic as No 1 at the cost of terminally aggravating a hip problem that had intermittently plagued him for several years. That was the moment at which the fulfilment of a dream became a nightmare. Joining Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as only the fourth active player to clock up 700 wins offers a welcome reminder, however, of the place he occupies in the sport’s history.
“It does mean a lot to me because I know how difficult it’s been, certainly the last few years. When you look at the players that have done it, most of the players that are up there and have won that many matches are certainly the best players of the last sort of 30, 40 years. To be in amongst that is nice.
“I’ve looked and I’ve seen the players that are between 700 and 800, and there’s some amazing players that I watched when I was growing up as a kid, some that I’m aware are the best players that ever played the game. I know that they probably weren’t thinking about that when they were playing, but I would love to try and get there. I guess when you look at a number like that, and you see it’s comparable to some of those guys, it makes you feel proud of your achievements and the matches that you’ve won in your career, in what’s been an incredibly difficult era.”
While Murray will hope to embellish his record further when he is reunited with former coach Ivan Lendl in a few weeks’ time, Raducanu’s more modest goal is simply to come to terms with the demands of a profession to which she remains a newcomer. She received a fist bump from Murray when the pair crossed paths before her match, which she later said gave her “extra fuel” as she pursued what was only her second victory of an injury-plagued season.
Raducanu’s inspiration was evident as she set about dismantling Garcia in the opening set, stepping inside the baseline to impose her game on the former world No 4 with the kind of bold, free-flowing play that characterised her improbable run to the US Open title last September.
Garcia, ranked 66th but good enough to have once been tipped by Murray as a future world No 1, fought her way back from an early break in the second set. But Raducanu steadied the ship with an early break in the decider and never looked back, racing to a 5-1 lead before serving out to love.
“It was definitely a tough match to win,” said Raducanu, who was a a doubt for Indian Wells until the last minute following the leg injury that forced her to retire against Daria Saville in Guadalajara last month.
“Caroline is a really tricky opponent because she is really aggressive and plays very quickly. As soon as I dropped my ball speed and pace, she took advantage of that in the second set. I’m just glad that I managed to adjust for the third.”
With the first hurdle successfully negotiated, Raducanu will hope to finally establish some momentum to a season punctuated by a debilitating bout of Covid and a series of physical setbacks.
“It’s my second win of the year,” said Raducanu, the 11th seed, who will play Petra Martic of Croatia in round three. “I haven’t played so many. But I’ve just had these injuries and niggles. To come through in a big tournament, I think it definitely means a lot.”
These were the very words uttered by Murray, which just goes to show that – whether it’s your first victory at Indian Wells, or the 700th of your career – every entry in the win column counts.
“Seven hundred wins is something I can just dream of,” said Raducanu. “I have a long way to go.”