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| Wimbledon Champion 2013: Andy Murray |
Wimbledon 2013: Andy Murray Wimbledon Champion
Fred Perry may have been watching down over SW19 on Sunday 7th July as British No.1 Andy Murray won his first Wimbledon title in magnificent style with a 6-4 7-5 6-4 defeat of World No.1 Novak Djokovic.
The 77 year wait for a British Wimbledon Men's singles champion was finally over and Murray could not have been more impressive.
The experience of tasting defeat in the final twelve months earlier and subsequently winning the Olympics and US Open meant this was a different Murray and on a roasting hot day he always held the edge.
READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP
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| The World No.1 and No.2 before the big match |
Make no mistake this was a thrilling final, probably the most exciting Men's final ever to be completed in straight sets.
With every rally, game and set being so hard fought this felt more like five rather than three sets.
Having only just got better from a few days being unwell I decided to watch it calmly on TV rather than take up my usual Men's final position at the top of Henman Hill and I think I enjoyed the match more as a result.
Murray was unquestionably the more solid player and forced Djokovic into making more errors than the Serb is ever used to. Frequently he just was not sure how he could win points against Murray.
Having failed to capitalise on three break points in the first game Murray made the first breakthrough with a backhand winner up the line on his fourth break point in game three.
2011 Champion Djokovic broke back in the fourth game but Murray's response was a break to love in game seven which was sealed when the World No.1 netted a backhand off the back foot.
Murray fended off three break points to hold for 5-3 and then coolly served out the opener to love in the tenth game when Djokovic's return landed well wide. After 59 minutes the British No.1 was two sets away from history.
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| Frequently on the stretch, Djokovic opened a 4-1 second set lead |
In set No.2 Djokovic opened a 4-1 lead, having broken in the fourth game, and looked to be on course to level the match.
Murray, however, had other ideas. The Olympic and US Open champion crushed a winning backhand return crosscourt to prevent Djokovic leading 5-2 and then got the break back when Djokovic double faulted.
After Murray levelled at 4-4 Djokovic got his nose in front but netted a forehand to lose his serve in the eleventh game.
The World No.2 empatically held to love with an ace to take a two set lead and then broke in the opening game of the third when Djokovic floated a backhand long.
Djokovic survived serving at 0-2 love-30 and suddenly reeled off four straight games to take control of the third set.
Murray did not flinch. The 2012 finalist broke in game seven with an aggressive forehand and then setup two break points at 4-4 with a forehand pass struck on the dead run.
A point later Djokovic netted a forehand off a deep return and Murray would serve for the match at 5-4. But there was more drama to come.
In an electrifying final game Murray built three championship points to stand on the verge of history but found that Djokovic, as you would expect, was going to fight to the bitter end.
A point from defeat the Serb superbly battled back to deuce and reached break point which Murray served with a service winner. A second break point was saved with a short forehand winner.
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| A second Grand Slam crown for Murray |
Djokovic could not control the volley off Murray's running forehand pass a point later and the Brit stood at championship point for a fourth time.
Djokovic got back a superb first serve on the full stretch but then netted a backhand and the Centre Court erupted. Murray had achieved his dream. He was the Wimbledon Champion.
He had his wobble against Verdasco in the quarter final, which he recovered from in style, but there was no question that he was the best player over the two weeks and fully deserved to end the long long wait for a British Men's Champion at Wimbledon.
After Perry won his third Wimbledon crown 77 years ago he went onto New York and claimed a third US Open title. Few would bet against Murray heading to Flushing Meadows and retaining his title for a third Grand Slam crown.
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