Sensational Murray proves a worthy No. 1

BEATS DJOKOVIC

SIMON BRIGGS LONDON • They used to say Andy Murray would never win a major. Then they said he would never get to No. 1 in the world. Finally, when he did reach the top of the rankings chart a fortnight ago, they moaned he had done it by default, without beating the best players.

Well, Murray has scotched that theory. After last night’s 6-3, 6-4 victory over Novak Djokovic at the O2 Arena in London, there can be no doubt he now sits on the throne of tennis, the Union Flag draped around his shoulders.

The script could not have been more perfectly written. This was the first time two players had reached the last match of the year with the No. 1 ranking on the line. And the opponent was Djokovic, the man who came into the grass-court season holding all four grand-slam titles.

For Murray fans — an increasingly numerous group — Djokovic has long been the villain. When these two faced off in the 2013 Wimbledon final, BBC commentator Jonathan Overend quipped that he had everything but the white cat.

Here in London, the odds seemed stacked in Djokovic’s favour as he swept through group matches against a pair of debutants and won a facile 65-minute semifinal against Kei Nishikori Saturday. Murray, who twice broke the record this week for the longest match played at the O2 Arena, arrived in the final with an extra three hours of court time in his legs.

Yet Djokovic was the man who floundered. And it was a surprise, because he had given every sign that he was rediscovering his best form, match by match. Tennis lovers are familiar with that predatory mood in the big events. And this was a huge event for him, not only because of the opportunity to reclaim the world No. 1 spot, but because he had won it the past four years.

Both players found a strong early rhythm on serve, so strong that there were only two rallies — exchanges of more than a single shot — in the first 12 points. But when the ball started to spend more time in play, there were signs Djokovic was short of his usual poise.

The backhand is normally his trustiest servant, but it kept dipping into the net or floating long of the baseline. Murray sensed the weakness and began pounding away on that flank. Backhand-tobackhand rallies are normally a non-starter against Djokovic, tactically speaking, and it seems implausible that Ivan Lendl would have sent his man out to work this angle.

But Murray, whose ingenious mind is as strong an asset as his 130-mph serve, was smart enough to readjust his plan on the hoof.

He broke for the first time in the eighth game with the help of three botched Djokovic backhands, and followed up with another two breaks from his next three attempts. Leading by a set and 4-1, any leg-weariness must have been cancelled out by a lightness of being: was this really going to be straightforward?

Not quite. Djokovic prides himself on not going quietly, and he tapped into his deep well of experience in these big matches. A rare lapse from Murray, a double fault, triggered a mini-run of eight-straight points from the defending champion. He had clawed his way back to 4-3, and the match was alive.

But Murray was on a 23-match winning streak, and it would take more than this to stop him. He was still up a single break and he was not going to allow it to slip.

The final game held echoes of that 2013 Wimbledon final as Djokovic staved off two match points with powerful returns of second serves, setting up the rally in his favour. On the third attempt he had another chance as Murray still could not find the decisive ace he desperately needed. But this time the return skewed long and wide, and the season was done.

After the match, Djokovic made a point of congratulating Murray’s wife Kim on the contribution she made to his season.

“We should all let Andy enjoy this a little bit,” he said. “Don’t ask him questions about next season. He deserves to be in the moment and to really take everything in what he achieved.

“His team as well, and his wife. She has to get some credit, guys. She gave birth this year. She has travelled all over the place. I know how it is with my wife Jelena, what she had to go through as a mother back home with a little baby. So, Kim, well done. She’s maybe made even a bigger effort than Andy.”

It was a charming little speech, and a warm moment between these two old rivals, who have been doing battle now for almost 20 years. When Murray’s turn came to speak, he was quick to emphasize the fellow feeling that he shares with Djokovic, despite the many times they have gone out on court with a bloodthirsty glint in their eyes.

“When me and Novak speak with each other, we don’t talk about tennis, rankings, the matches we play against each other,” Murray said.

“Maybe when we finish playing, that might change. But we talk about each other’s families, children and stuff.

“I think both of us have been with our wives a long time, pretty much since we were like 18, 19 years old. We met each other’s wives together at that age, as well. Regardless of what some of you may think, we have a good relationship. It’s not always easy when you’re playing on court in the biggest matches with a lot at stake, but we’ve always got on well with each other, each other’s teams and families.”

Now that his epic season is finally complete, Murray can look forward to spending the next few weeks with Kim and their baby daughter, Sophia. His Christmas wishes need no longer include the No. 1 ranking. Britain’s Andy Murray holds the ATP World No. 1 trophy after winning the men’s singles final against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic on the eighth and final day of the ATP World Tour Finals tennis tournament in London Sunday.