Andy Murray Disappointed With Third Place In BBC Sports Personality Award

Written by: Staff on 17th December 2012

Andy Murray Disappointed With Third Place In BBC Sports Personality Award

epa03465294 Andy Murray of Britain returns to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France during their match at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, Britain, 09 November 2012. EPA/KERIM OKTEN |

US Open and Olympic champion Andy Murray suffered a mixed weekend. First he was heartened by the news that, come what may with the weather in New York next September, his title defense at Flushing Meadows will see the tournament extended by an extra day to lessen the physical stress of playing back-to-back semi-finals and finals. Then, despite enjoying the most successful tennis season for a British male player in 76 years, he only came third in the nation’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.

Murray, who won his first ever Grand Slam title by beating Novak Djokovic in this year’s rain-delayed US Open final, was a leading mover in the campaign to change the traditional schedule which did not allow for a rest day between the semis and finals, and consequently put huge physical and emotional stress on the players.

“’I’m pleased that the USTA has modified the US Open schedule to include a day of rest between the semi-finals and final,” said Murray on hearing of the news issued by the United States Tennis Association that the 2013 US Open will run from August 26 to September 9.

Murray, who was one of the players who insisted on an audience in the tournament directors office in 2010 after scheduling issues caused much unrest, hailed the USTA’s change of mind as a victory for player power and said: “Together with the prize money increase, it’s good that they’ve taken on board the players’ concerns.”

The 25 year-old Scot. Britain’s first male winner of a major singles titles since Fred Perry in 1936, appeared delighted to be awarded the third placed trophy in the Sports Personality of the Year Award by former winner and World Heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis. However Murray probably paid the price for staying away from the ceremony and remaining in Miami where he is midway through his training camp in preparation for 2013.

Tour de France winning cyclist and fellow Olympic gold medalist Bradley Wiggins took top place with Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis second. Murray knew the vote could be influenced by his no-show at the London awards ceremony, screened live on nationwide television and attended by more than 15,000 people.

However he said: “Of course a part of me would have wanted to be at the awards because it has been a phenomenal year for British sports after a great Olympic Games. But I have my priorities and if, in the semi final of the Australian Open, I suddenly found myself tired and lacking of energy midway through a fifth set, then I would blame interrupting my preparation to fly back to London.

“Everything is going well here in Miami. I am working hard and know I will be in excellent shape after the very best preparation with my coach Ivan Lendl and the rest of the guys I work with.”

The full break down of the voting for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year awards was: Toal votes cast: 1,626,718. 1st place Bradley Wiggins (cycling) 492,064 (30.25%) 2nd Jessica Ennis (track and field) 372,765 (22.92). 3rd Andy Murray (tennis) 230,444 (14.17). 4th Mo Farah (track and field) 131,327 (8.07%) 5 David Weir (Paralympic track and field) 114,633 (7.05%) 6th Ellie Simmonds (Paralympic swimming) 102,894 (6.33%) 7th Sir Chris Hoy (track cycling) 42,961 (2.64%) 8th Nicola Adams (Women’s boxing) 35,560 (2.19%)

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Andy Murray, BBC Sports Personality Award, British tennis news, Novak Djokovic, Tennis News, US Open 2013