For Murray, Britain, the waiting game is over

THE waiting is over. Seventy-seven years after Fred Perry’s last championship, a British man has won Wimbledon.

Andy Murray’s final against Novak Djokovic was expected to be a lengthy struggle whatever the outcome. It was a struggle all right, but not nearly as lengthy as looked likely after a first set that lasted almost an hour, as Murray triumphed in straight sets, beating the world No 1 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

“It feels slightly different to last year,” Murray said with typical understatement, referring to his 2012 final defeat by Roger Federer that left him in tears. “Last year was one of the toughest moments of my career, so to win today . . . . I don’t know how I managed to come through that final game with three match points.”

He was referring to the fact that he was 40-0 up in that last game before Djokovic fought back. It was, as the BBC’s Sue Barker said, torture to watch.

“Imagine playing it,” Murray retorted. “I’ve played Novak so many times and he’s going to go down as one of the greatest fighters. I just managed to squeeze through in the end.”

“I understand how much everyone wanted to see a British winner at Wimbledon. I hope you guys enjoyed it,” he said to the crowd.

Murray climbed up to greet his coaches, friends and family at the end - but was on his way back down on to court before he realised he had not seen his mum, Judy. He returned and gave her a hug and a kiss as well.

“I did forget her,” he admitted. “I just heard her squealing behind me.

“I’ve got a great team. They’ve stuck by me through a lot of tough moments. This one is specially for Ivan [Lendl, his coach] as well. He did everything to try and win this one when he was playing. He’s a fantastic person, worked extremely hard with me and been very patient, because I’m not easy at times.”

Asked what had happened in the last point of the championship, Murray admitted he could not remember.

“I’ve no idea what happened. I don’t know how long that game was.”

Djokovic, who already has six Grand Slam titles to his name, was gracious in defeat. “Congratulations to Andy. You absolutely deserved this win. You played incredible tennis.

“Congratulations to his team. I know how much it means to them, and how much it means to all of you guys in this country.

“I gave it all. It was an absolute pleasure and an honour again to be a part of this match, this final. Thank you.”

Djokovic had been the slight pre-match favourite for two main reasons: he had won six Grand Slam finals to Murray’s one, and he had been playing that little bit better over the course of the fortnight. In Murray’s favour, though, was the fact he had done what he needed to win his previous six matches. If that meant not quite hitting the heights that Djokovic did in his semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro, so be it.

And in the first few games, Murray showed that he was capable of raising his game both from the level it had been at, and - at least some of the time - to a level that was better than his Serbian opponent could match. The No 2 seed had three break points in the opening game, and although he failed to convert them, that was still a highly promising start.

The impression that Murray had quickly got into his stride was reinforced when he rattled down two aces in the next game, which he held easily. He had four break points when Djokovic served again, and although the world No 1 saved the first three, Murray then broke him with a shot on the run.

Yet after that encouraging start, there came the immediate disappointment of a break back. Djokovic, who had put on a skip cap and replaced his racket at the change of ends, launched into the fourth game at a higher tempo and in more aggressive style, and was always on top of it.

After two more conventional holds of service took the score to 3-3 Djokovic was broken again, to love this time. At 40-0 down, he sent a backhand into the net, and the initiative was back with the Scot.

Such was the inability of either man to make his serve dominant, that Murray had to save three break points before stretching his lead to 5-3.
Djokovic was able to close that to 5-4, but four points later Murray had the first set in his possession.

The set had taken almost exactly an hour, and the players were allowed a slightly longer break than usual by Swedish umpire Mohammad Lahyani before the next set started. It was an exhaustingly hot afternoon, and both men, while among the fittest athletes on the planet, were noticeably conserving as much energy as they could between points.

The second set began very well for the 2011 champion as, after two holds of serve, he won three games in a row to go 4-1 up. But that was the high point for Djokovic, as Murray fought back with a vengeance to win eight out of the next nine games.

From 4-1 he got it back to 4-4. Djokovic then took a game, but that was good as it got for him in that set, and Murray took the next three to go two sets to love up.

It got better for him, too, as he took a 2-0 lead at the start of the third. Then came the low point: four games in a row for Djokovic.

Were we looking at a comeback? No. Murray broke back immediately, then took two more games, and suddenly, at 5-4 up, he had just four points to go. Just one game, and he would be Wimbledon champion.

Murray took his time coming back out on to court as he prepared to serve for the match. A long forehand from Djokovic was out, and the Scot had one of the four points required to make history.

Djokovic might have thought he had won the second point with a drop shot from the baseline, but Murray chased it down, and flicked a winner down the line with his opponent stranded on the other side of court. His next serve was returned by Djokovic, but it went out: 40-0, and three championship points to Murray.

The next point was a longer rally, lasting 12 strokes or so, and the Serb won it: 40-15. At the next, Murray’s second serve was dispatched by a backhand winner: 40-30, and two of those three championship points were gone.

Murray wrongly challenged the ruling that his next serve was out, then from his second serve he sent a shot long. The next rally ended when a hit a forehand into the net, and now it was Djokovic who had a break point.

A better serve, a long return, and we were back to deuce. Then a drop shot from Djokovic flopped over the net with the help of the cord, and that meant another break point.

Murray saved it: deuce. Djokovic scooped up a crosscourt winner: break point again.

A winning volley at the net from Murray: deuce. A successful chase for a drop shot: fourth championship point. This time there was nothing Djokovic could do, as he sent a drive into the net. At last, the title was Murray’s.

source: tribune