Muscles Behind The Moment: Andy Murray Wins Gold
A celebration of legendary moments in time and the muscles that made them possible
The first in our series celebrating legendary moments in time and the muscles that made them possible, is tennis phenomenon Sir Andy Murray OBE during his first major tournament victory at London’s 2012 Olympics.
Amid the hysteria of the summer Games, the 25-year-old became the first British man to win Olympic singles gold since Josiah Ritchie in 1908.
Back when he was a mere civilian on 5 August, Murray headed into the match having never beaten Switzerland’s Roger Federer in a five-set match and having lost to him in the Wimbledon Grand Slam final on the same court four weeks previously.
However, that defeat sparked a major turning point in Murray’s career. The Scot had endured a frosty relationship with the British public, who were at times enthralled by his skill but left cold by his grumpy on- and off-court demeanour.
This time was different. After falling at the final hurdle yet again, his emotional, teary-eyed, heartbreaking message to the crowd endeared him to the nation, arguably ushering in his transformation from nearly man to world No1.
“Everybody always talks about the pressures of playing at Wimbledon, how tough it is… but it’s not the people watching,” he said, microphone in hand, voice cracking. “They make it so much easier to play. The support has been incredible. Thank you.”
The Moment
With the Great British public behind him and a wave of Olympic-inspired euphoria carrying him to the final, Murray made his return to Centre Court.
Pumped up with renewed confidence, Murray dismantled Federer from start to finish, racing into a two set lead and 5–4 40–30 in the third set.
The final point — fittingly — was an outright winner. Serving for the match, Murray coiled his body, exploded off the base line and unleashed a booming ace that whistled down the middle, clipped the service line and flew past a despairing Federer.
Amid thunderous roars from the crowd, Murray simply brought his hands to his face — covering an expression of long overdue relief — before summoning the strength to climb through the crowd and embrace his delighted family.
The Muscles
“The tennis serve is a very complex movement,” explains muscle expert Mike Aunger of Technique Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine. “It requires all over body strength to generate power from the legs and transfer that energy through the body and onto the tennis ball via the racket.”
Murray recorded his fastest serve at the 2016 US Open — a vicious 141mph — yet still short of Australian Samuel Groth’s 163.7mph world record from the Busan Open 2012 Challenger Event.
To hit these lighting fast speeds, yet retain enough control to land the ball in the service box and be prepared to reach any return, players need all their muscles to fire at their best.
Here, Aunger highlights the hero muscles behind the tennis serve, along with exercises that could help boost your game.
The Gastrocnemius
One of the major muscles in the calves, the musculature running down the back of the lower leg between the knee and ankle, this muscle provides the power to drive off the floor, allowing for a greater angle to find the service box.
Muscle-up with a foam roller. Massage and stretch your gastrocnemius using a foam roller and the classic calf stretches. Massage first for a few minutes, targeting areas of tightness or soreness, then lengthen the muscles with gentle stretches of 30–60 seconds.
The Glutes
The largest muscle in the body — though not the strongest — the muscles of the buttocks are crucial for transferring power from the legs to the upper body. They extend the hips, lengthening the body, and allow for added height at the point of contact.
Muscle-up with jump lunges. Start with bodyweight lunges and squats and build up to explosive jump lunges and squats to develop extra power. Aim for three sets of 10 reps each side with at least 60 seconds rest between sets.
The Latissimus Dorsi
These large back muscles generate extra energy when swinging the racket from its most stretched position to connect with the ball at its highest point.
Muscle-up with lat stretches. Strengthen and stretch the lats with the supine overhead reach. Lie on your back holding a dumbbell or kettlebell above your chest. Keeping your arms straight, lower the weight to touch the floor beyond your head, then back up to the start. Do three sets of 10 slow and controlled reps.
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