Magical memories as Andy makes history with Wimbledon victory
Seven years ago yesterday on July 7, 2013, Andy Murray became Britain’s first Wimbledon men’s singles champion since the halcyon days of Fred Perry in 1936.
Most tennis fans - particularly those in his home town of Dunblane - will remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when his opponent Novak Djokovia netted a backhand to give Murray the title with a 6-4 7-5 6-4 win.
The straight sets success was anything but easy and the final game will go down as one of Murray’s most pulsating as he squandered three championship points from 40-0 and saw off three Djokovic break points for victrory.
He said afterwards: “Winning Wimbledon, I can’t get my head around that. I still can’t believe it’s happened.
“I think that last game will be the toughest I’ll play in my career.”
“Winning Wimbledon is the pinnacle of tennis, the last game almost increased that feeling,” added Murray.
“That last game pretty much took everything out of me. I worked so hard in that last game. They will be the hardest few points I have to play in my life.”
A brutal, hard-hitting opening game in the heat eventually saw the Serbian claw back three break points to hold serve and deny Murray what would have been a perfect start.
They then traded service breaks before Murray broke again for a 4-3 lead and held on to close out the first set.
The second set proved to be pivotal in the long-run, Djokovic racing into a 4-1 lead and looking good to level the match.
Murray had other ideas, though, as he rattled off three game in a row to tie it up again at 4-4 and bagging himself a crucial service break for a 6-5 lead. Serving for a two-set lead, ice-cool Andy did it in style, even throwing in an ace at 40-love as a statement of intent for the third set to come.
An early break of serve for Murray looked to have put him on the road to the dreamland but again Djokovic fought back to level at 2-2 and this started what was to become a rollercoaster of a third set.
The top seed then edged ahead 4-2 but Murray showed his courage again as he rocked the Serb by winning three games in a row for a 5-4 lead.
Serving for the championship, Murray raced to 40-love but Djokovic, by now hanging on, somehow managed to take it to deuce and pick up three break points himself.
But it was Murray’s day as he saved them all before making history, and taking the title on his fourth championship point.