Does Winning a Slam Take More Out Of You Than Losing a Slam?

I have to admit first and foremost the Towel thread was one I did out of boredom and tiredness.

Now watching Murray's defeat has made me wonder.

We talk about just how difficult it is to win a Slam. Losing one sometimes spur players on to further success. Once they win that Slam it can be difficult to maintain the standards and performances that goes with being a champion.

Andre Agassi - 1999. Won the French Open to complete a Career Grand Slam. He then got outplayed by Sampras at Wimbledon a month later only to then win the US Open again a couple of months later. An up and down curve if you will.

Roger Federer - 2008-2010. Lost back to back Slam finals to Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros and Wimbledon only to then go and win his 5th US Open against Murray months after the heartache of defeats to Nadal. Subsequently he then lost in the 2009 AO Final to Nadal. Only to then triumph at Roland Garros and Wimbledon that year and then lose to Del Potro in the US Open final and then to beat Murray again in another Slam final in Australia in 2010. Now what a curve that is.

Rafael Nadal - 2006-2007. Won the French Open in 2006 and 2007 only to then lose to Federer at Wimbledon in those years.

Novak Djokovic - 2007-2008. He lost his first Slam final to Federer at the US Open in 2007 only to then capture his first Slam in Australia in 2008 against Tsonga.

Ivan Lendl - 1987. He won the French Open that year defeating Mats Wilander only to then lose in the Wimbledon final to Pat Cash. After that disappointment he won the US Open for a 3rd time defeating Mats Wilander.

Andy Murray - 2012. Lost his fourth Slam final at Wimbledon to Federer who captured a record 7th Wimbledon crown. Couple of months later he broke his Slam duck by defeating Novak Djokovic at the US Open.

So I ask is it that much more difficult to build on Slam success than losing a Slam final?

I suppose any slam win carries a level of expectation into the next slam which increases the pressure. A final loss does not increase the pressure in the same way unless you become a serial runner up.

Interesting article but in my opinion the answer is no. However, it may still lead to a climb down afterwards for a player who has won his first slam after many attempts. When you want something so badly then achieve it, it may take you a little while to build up the same mental head of steam again. Had Murray lost that USO final he'd be in a much worse place now IMO.

I made the point a while back that there's normally a bit of a lull after a player wins their first major where they mentally go walk-about for perhaps a year, like Stosur who is the most recent one I can think about. Azarenka too, although she bounced back at the end of the year after a really poor summer. However someone (maybe socal?) came back with a good point, something along the lines of Murray being more mentally prepared for major success than Stosur.

Anyway, I believe it's an advantage to win the final major of the year than the first when you're breaking your duck. You have the off season to prepare for the next season, but at the start the tournaments keep on coming.

The final itself must have taken quite a lot out of both players physically and I'm sure that Murray must be experiencing a bit of mental exhaustion after the summer - the coming down after all that adrenaline coursing through the veins and not finding the same level of concentration and getting it together for a 500 so soon after the longed for first slam.

There is still quite a bit of tennis for him to play before the end of the year and I'm sure he is going to be extremely motivated in front of a London crowd this November.