Murray mows down Djokovic on the green grass of Wimbledon

Andy Murray is the 2013 Wimbledon Men’s Champion. Seizing the momentum that had been building his way since last year’s final, Murray went the one step further he had been promising to go by beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4, to win his second Major trophy.

Murray was the Media favorite to win but not necessarily among tennis fans. Djokovic after all has a greater haul of Major trophies, including the 2011 Wimbledon title, has twice been the year end world number One and has two WTF trophies. In comparison, Murray has one Major and has been as high as number two. Many thought that Djokovic’s tougher draw and overall game and mentality would see him through. But on the day, anything can happen, and Murray has beaten Djokovic enough times to know when the Serbian is not at his best and there to be taken.

This year’s Wimbledon finals was one of those days. It was Djokovic who was trying to end the greulling rallies played at the back of the court early by going down the line or moving forward, a key factor in deciding their 20-stroke rally matches. But he either missed or Murray ran them down and got them back with too much interest for Djokovic to pay back. As the Djokovic errors mounted up, it was Murray who had the chances, and after a messy start to the set where the two exchanged breaks, it was Murray who took them, at his defensive, solid best, breaking in the heart of the set and before settling down to take it 6-4.

A set up, this is where he had been the year before against Federer, and the hysteria that had been present that day had not been dampened by memories of what had happened next. But when the Serbian seemed to get his act together in the second to lead 4-1, those wounds were once more opened. But if anyone was going to do it, it was going to be the Serbian. A fightback was what we expected of Djokovic, the most consistent player of the last couple of seasons. But Murray’s proved those wounds were well and truly healed, breaking back and going on to take the second set 7-5.

Leading two sets to love, just as he had done in their US Open encounter, Murray broke at the start of the set only to be broken back as Djokovic, his back to the wall, customarily moved up a gear. Djokovic then broke again to lead 4-2. Were we going to have to endure another five set tussle between these two, we wondered. And on an unusually hot Final’s day, would the outcome be the same as it been that blustery New York night? In a battle of wills in the heat Djokovic has proven himself to be the number one competitor and a five setter would see him rise to the challenge rather than wilt. But the World number One failed to find the solidity that is his hallmark, surprisingly melting down instead in the third and dropping his serve. With Djokovic proving to be unable to capitalize on his break, it was Murray who was the one who was going to take advantage of matters, in this case his opponent’s fragile state. At 4-4, Murray broke again to serve for the Wimbledon Championships.

It was never going to be easy for Murray to serve for the Championships at the All England Club where the Scotsman is the focus of the Media and the public’s attention. 77 years is long enough to wait for a British champion and the time seemed right for the waiting to end. Britain had a man playing for them who had surpassed any other Briton’s tennis achievements since Fred Perry and a man who had the momentum behind him having been to the final the year before, reached and competed well in another Major final in Melbourne and proved himself to be a world class Champion. Sensing a Champion in the midst, the crowd were on their feet after every point Murray won, cheering every Djokovic error, determined to push him over the finish line even if his often criticized passive play did its best to see him stumble.

But stumble Murray did not. Despite the frightening sight of Djokovic saving his best for last, going for the lines and painting them for winners to save championship points, a sight no one wants to see from the best come-from-behind player in the game, Murray held firm. On his fourth Championship point Murray held his nerve while Djokovic made yet another error, his 40th of the match, (Murray in comparison made only 21), and finally Murray achieved what he had worked so hard for: his name on the Wimbledon trophy.

All the praise from the British media, all the bonuses and new sponsors, all the sportsman of the year awards will mean next to nothing compared to the joy he will feel at being known as a Wimbledon Champion. In one of the most individual of professional sports national pride has little meaning outside of the Olympics or national team competitions. These players do it for themselves and Murray has, with the help of Ivan Lendl, become one of the best players in the world at shutting out the outside world, zoning in on what he wants and getting it. The fact that Britain, represented on the terrace that was Center Court by the crowd and the BBC, wanted it too is secondary.

Andy Murray has what he wanted and for that he must be congratulated, and if anyone really believes he did it for them, too, he can be thanked. We should, however, definitely thank him for giving the Wimbledon final a Champion’s worthy final performance. He certainly could not have performed much better, reacting as he does so well to his opponent’s play, finding it wanting and extracting from himself the performance necessary to achieve his goal. What other goals he has in his sights, now that the biggest has been achieved, will surely come as a matter of course. At 27, and in a sport where 27 is the new 17, Murray has the time and now the experience to go one better than just being known as the first man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry but to become known as the Best British-or-and who knows what state his ‘nation’ will be in when he winds down his career in his 30s- Scottish- player ever.