It was the first round of the US Open and Andy Murray had been handed an unenviable draw. He arrived in New York City without any wins over the sort of top-tier players he would routinely trounce before career-threatening hip injuries derailed his time at the pinnacle of men's tennis.
The long and gruelling grind to rediscover the excellence that guided Murray to three Grand Slam titles had been set back further by a three-month groin injury absence, not to mention missing the Australian summer at the start of the year after testing positive for Covid-19.
Minimal match time and a lack of sharpness are hardly ideal preparation when facing the third-highest ranked player in the world, but the first set was vintage Murray as he proceeded to dismantle Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Greek player levelled by taking the second set in a tie-break, but Murray fought back to take the third and unleashed an enormous roar: “I'm not done yet! Let's go! Let's go!”
Murray would lose the match in five sets as that lack of match fitness was eventually exposed, but he was right about one thing: he is not done yet.
Following the US Open, the Murray game continued to trend in the right direction and he started to secure significant wins against significant opponents. There was the victory at Indian Wells over Spanish youngster Carlos Alcaraz, who would go on to clinch the Next Gen ATP Finals title; there was the third-time lucky win against then world No 10 Hubert Hurkacz having twice lost to the Pole in the weeks prior; and then there was the routine triumph over top-10 Italian Jannick Sinner.
Given all the disruption in 2021, the end of the season came at an inopportune time for Murray, just as he was finding some rhythm.
“I definitely felt I’d made some significant improvements as we moved towards the end of the season,” Murray, 34, told The National. “It highlights how important getting match play is when you are coming back from an injury or a long stretch of time out.
“There are still things I need to work on, and we’ll be doing that in the off season, but I was pleased with how I ended the year.”
Murray wasn't the only one pleased. The former world No 1, who currently sits 133 places lower than that, has always been popular among the fans but there seemed to be an additional swell of support for the Scot last season, and it has not gone unnoticed.
“I’m always so grateful to the fans for their support,” Murray said. “I know I’m not always the easiest player to watch!”
He has certainly been easy to watch at the Olympics over the years. While Murray's accomplishments — 14th on the all-time list of ATP titles with 46, fifth for most Masters titles with 14, the first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years — have been somewhat overshadowed by the ludicrous feats of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, the Scot stands apart at the Games.
Murray is the only man to twice win Olympic singles gold, which he achieved in successive Games at London 2012 and Rio 2016. Defending his title in Tokyo was always going to be a tough ask and he withdrew on the eve of his first round match with a thigh injury, although he did compete in the doubles and reached with quarter-finals with Joe Salisbury.
Murray didn't leave Japan completely empty-handed. Each Olympics he swaps national flag pins with athletes from other countries and after four Games, he has built up quite a collection. “My pin collection is amazing,” he said. “It’s one of the best things about the Olympics!”
That was all last season, though, and the focus is very much on next. Before making his way Down Under for next month's Australian Open, Murray will continue his pre-season with a sixth appearance at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship (MWTC) in Abu Dhabi, starting on Thursday.
Murray was the inaugural MWTC champion in 2009 and won the title again in 2015 and believes the Abu Dhabi tournament will help him adapt for Australia.
“At this time of year, I usually do a block of warm weather training, but this year we took the decision to do most of the off season in the UK, which means playing indoors,” he said. “Being able to play at Mubadala is great preparation for Australia. It allows me more on court time, and I’m ready to put into play some of the things we’ve been working on over the last few weeks.”
As he prepares for his 17th season as a professional tennis player, there isn't much left that can faze Murray. He's played in the biggest matches on the grandest stages, handled the highest levels of pressure, and spent around half his life in the public eye.
However, if there is one thing that could give him the jitters, it's a repeat of wedding ring-gate. After a practice session at Indian Wells in October, Murray left his shoes — with the ring tied to the laces — outside to dry, only for them to go missing. Fortunately, the shoes and ring were handed in to lost property but not before Murray got a ticking off from wife Kim.
Murray admitted it wasn't the first time he had carelessly misplaced his wedding ring, so has he devised a plan from it happening again? More spare shoes? Replicas in case the original disappears again? Adding a ring-bearer to his coaching staff?
“Ha ha! I was pretty nervous about telling Kim I’d lost my wedding ring once,” he replied. “I think that’s enough of a deterrent to stop me losing it again!”
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet
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england euro squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Man Utd), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Defenders: John Stones (Man City), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Man City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Reece James (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Man City), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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THE SPECS
2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE
Engine: 1.8 litre combined with 16-volt electric motors
Transmission: Automatic with manual shifting mode
Power: 121hp
Torque: 142Nm
Price: Dh95,900
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Kamindu Mendis bio
Full name: Pasqual Handi Kamindu Dilanka Mendis
Born: September 30, 1998
Age: 20 years and 26 days
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Major teams Sri Lanka's Under 19 team
Batting style: Left-hander
Bowling style: Right-arm off-spin and slow left-arm orthodox (that's right!)
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
The bio
Favourite vegetable: Broccoli
Favourite food: Seafood
Favourite thing to cook: Duck l'orange
Favourite book: Give and Take by Adam Grant, one of his professors at University of Pennsylvania
Favourite place to travel: Home in Kuwait.
Favourite place in the UAE: Al Qudra lakes
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The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
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Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
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yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
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Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
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