LONDON -- This was supposed to be the year that Andy Murray dominated men's tennis. With Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal coming off injuries and Novak Djokovic struggling for motivation, Murray was top of the pile, ready to take control. But then his body intervened.
From the shingles that he revealed after the Australian Open to a couple of bouts of flu and from the elbow injury he suffered in March to the sore hip that left him hobbling through Wimbledon, Murray has struggled with his health throughout the first half of the year.
It's probably fair to say that he has not been 100 percent fit since he won the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals this past November. Which is why, after the initial shock, Murray's quarterfinal defeat to Sam Querrey on Centre Court on Wednesday was about right and perhaps the best he could have expected.
"Before Wimbledon, it's a very short-term mindset," Murray said. "You're trying to get yourself in the best shape possible for this tournament, and I did that. I did the best that I could."
There was never going to be a retirement -- Murray is not in that mindset -- and his testimony that he was close to winning despite the discomfort is admirable. It even earned praise -- as well as concern -- from Federer, who knows all too well the worries that come from niggling injuries and, simply, trying to do too much.
"I hope by playing he didn't make things worse," Federer said after his quarterfinal win over Milos Raonic later on Wednesday. "I have a lot of respect for him doing that. I just hope that he comes out on the other side now not having to miss much later on."
It was, however, clear that the effort of trying to get himself through match after match eventually caught up with Murray. He had hoped to get through seven matches in London, but given the way the rest of the year went, it could be argued that he did pretty well to get through five, especially as he probably would not even have played if it had been a regular tour event.
The big question now is how it will affect him in the rest of the year. He says the hip injury is something he's been dealing with for much of his career, in which case it should just be a matter of rest, recuperation and some downtime with the family. In saying that he wasn't going to do himself any major damage by playing at Wimbledon, it doesn't sound as if surgery is necessary, and though he will discuss everything with his team Thursday to plan the long-term steps, Murray brushed the issue off as "wear and tear" and indicated that, moving forward, he would be able to get through it.
At 30, it's not as easy to shake these things off as it would have been 10 years ago, but every time Murray has been asked a major question in his career, he has found a way. After losing to Federer in the 2012 Wimbledon final, he came back the next year to end Great Britain's 77-year wait for a male champion. His decision to miss the ATP Tour Finals in 2013 and undergo minor back surgery was vindicated with another Wimbledon title, two Australian Open finals and a stunning rise to world No. 1 in the space of four years.
For now, that ranking is safe after Djokovic's retirement against Tomas Berdych. But with Nadal and Federer a long way ahead in the calendar year points standings, Murray knows it will go sooner rather than later. In his own words from the Wimbledon media room, he simply has not been good enough this year to keep hold of it.
However, despite his obvious disappointment, Murray already seems to be looking beyond the Wimbledon bubble in search of clarity.
"This year has obviously been frustrating at times. It's not been the easiest. But I'll want to come back and try and compete for majors," Murray said.
"I just need to do all of the right things and be even more diligent and professional than I have been recently. I feel like I've done all of the right stuff, but I'll try to do more, try to get myself in better shape. Hopefully I'll come through the other side of it a better player, a better athlete. That's what I'll try and do."
On past evidence, he will find a way.