Murray Wins
It Over Djokovic
Although it was
only his first career Grand Slam singles title, he cannot say he had not
dreamed about a win like this before. Murray fought, rallied and preserved
a win over defending US Open champion Novak Djokovic in the 2012 US Open. This
huge win came right after a loss previously to Roger
Federer at Wimbledon but then also a gold medal win in the Olympics. This makes
him the first British man to win a major title since Fred Perry in 1936.
This match made
other records including, tying the record for the longest men’s singles final,
54 minutes and then also it was the first five-set men’s final since 2009!
Murray is now one
of just two men not named Djokovic, Federer or Rafael Nadal to win a Grand Slam
since Wimbledon in 2005, helping solidify his status as one of the ‘Big Four’
currentlyon the ATP Tour.
Fierce 30-shot
plus rallies, including one at 54, key momentum shifts and some spectacular
shot-making in some cold and windy conditions was just the beginning of the
match on Monday.
"It was an incredibly tough match, and,
obviously it felt great at the end,” Murray said. "Relief is probably the
best word I would use to describe how I'm feeling just now. Yeah, very,
very happy that I
managed to come through because if I had lost this one from two sets up, that
would have been a tough one to take.
Djokovic was
gracious in defeat and complemented his opponent, whom he knew fought just as
hard as he did.
Winning the
Olympic gold medal was the highlight of Murray’s career a few weeks ago, but
after this fortnight in Flushing Meadows, he has some new career-best memories,which he hopes
are just the start of many more to come.
"The
Olympics were obviously huge for me. It was the biggest week of my life. But
still today before the match, when I was sitting in the locker room beforehand,
like I say, there are still doubts,”
he said of his
mindset entering the match. "You're still thinking, ‘If I lose this one,
no one's ever lost their first five finals.’ I just didn't really want to be
that person.
"I am just
so relieved, like I said, to finally have got through and can put this one
behind me and hopefully win more.”