As your occasional tennis correspondent we can’t let today pass without recording the achievement of Andy Murray. While not being as extraordinary as his first, this surely puts the seal on a stellar carer in which he has made the very most of his talents. To win three slams in the era of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer is more than anyone else has managed.
He coped with the favourite tag really well. That brings its own sort of pressure. Raonic didn’t play at all badly – losing just one break of serve, but Murray showed some pretty incredible focus in the two tie breaks which decided the match. Unlike Federer in the semi, Murray kept his own serve up and was able to not let Raonic exert the pressure of his nuclear serve under which Federer succumbed so badly in the fifth.
It wasn’t a classic match, going as did almost completely with serve. What stood out was Murray’s amazing resilience, running and ability from way out wide or behind the base line not just to keep the ball in, but to return with speed and angle that were too much for Raonic. As much son would say, Athleti rather than Barcelona. But that’s part of the game too.
Not a classic Wimbledon either. Murray/Tsonga perhaps the best match I caught – a feeling that the match could go either way which was absent today. And surely we’ve seen the dimming of the Federer light, Raonic just outlasting him in the semi.
Congrats to Murray, Raonic I’m sure we’ll see in other finals as Nadal and Federer wane and gaps open up in the quarters and semis. His touch and forehand make him far more than just a serving machine.
Yep an amazing achievment. Murray is now up there with Andre Agassi and RF as the best returner of serve in the modern game. Imagine having that serve as your primary weapon and seeing practically all of them coming back at you with interest. He is a great sportsman, possibly the best Britis athlete in the world at the moment.
This win must surely make him world #1 – not sure if a Brit has done that in the Open era?
No chance on that. Djokovic 17000, Murray 9000 – he’ll need to win the US and the Australian to get to no 1. But yes he is the best British athlete in the world now, pending Jessica Ennis-Hill and Mo Farah this summer.
No Brit HAS made world #1 but he’s got a long way too go before he does get there – Djokovic had won the last four Slams – the first man to hold all four at the same time since Rod Laver in the late 60s and beat Murray in the last two finals. He remains – bu some distance – the best in the world. Murray is closer than he has been since his annus mirabilis from June 2012 to July 2013 when he was runner-up at Wimbledon, won the Olympic Gold, the US Open and Wimbledon for the first time and he’s the second best in the world by a margin but needs to repeat that run of 2102-13 before we can consider him #1.
None of which is to decry his magnificent achievements. We waited – what was it – 79 years for a Men’s Singles champion and have now seen two in four years; saw him win the Davis Cup almost single-handedly; and he is a genuine sportsman who respects opponents and the game itself.
Now a knighthood…….?
I’m sure he will be knighted, but let’s wait until he retires. The best may be yet to come.
Quite agree actually. It seems ludicrous to be referring to “Sir” Bradley Wiggins while he’s still riding
Yep. Brit, Scot, Euro, whatever (almost certainly a mix of all three plus, crucially, a double espresso of Murray), spectacularly well done anyway.
Congrats to Murray. A staggering achievement and respectful commiserations to Raonic and indeed all of the competitors.
I am unsure if a Brit has done that in the Open era, but I’m delighted a Scot has.
Hamilton. Murray. This island is clearly exceptional when it comes to sport.