There is no doubt that Andy Murray is a talented tennis player; however, the recurring theme of his career has been “close but no cigar.”

Murray was the runner-up in four Grand Slam men’s singles tournaments in the last four years: the 2008 U.S. Open, the 2010 and 2011 Australian Open, and Wimbledon in 2012. He had been ranked multiple times in multiple positions on the Association of Tennis Professionals’ top ten list, but number one has always eluded him.

However, in the past few months, Murray had his cigar and smoked it too.

During the 2012 Olympics in August, Murray defeated ATP-ranked No. 1 Roger Federer, securing the gold medal in men’s singles. Murray shocked spectators and the media alike by becoming the first British man to win this medal since 1908.

He did not stop there. At September’s 2012 U.S. Open, Murray defeated Novak Djokovic in five sets and achieved his first Grand Slam championship, making him the only British male to do so since 1968.

This made Murray the first man in history to win the U.S. Open and an Olympic gold in the same year.

Although still ranked only third according to the ATP, Murray is on a hot streak. He has an Open trophy and gold medal under his belt, a beautiful artist girlfriend Kim Sears and has become a hero for his home country of Scotland.

At this rate, Murray may just break the streak of bad luck the British have experienced at Wimbledon. The last champion from Great Britain was Fred Perry in 1936.