Andy Murray’s first Wimbledon championship was for his country.
This one was for Andy Murray.
Dulling big serves with quick-reflex returns, conjuring up daring passing shots and playing impressively mistake-free tennis all the while, Murray on Sunday beat Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/2) for his second trophy at the All England Lawn Tennis Club and third Grand Slam title overall.
Photo: AFP
In 2013, Murray famously ended Britain’s 77-year wait for one of its own to win the men’s final at Wimbledon, a quest that became burdensome.
Now he wanted a victory to end his personal rut of three consecutive losses in major finals, including at the Australian Open in January and the French Open last month.
“It is different. I feel happier this time. I feel more content this time. I feel like this was sort of more for myself more than anything, and my team as well,” second-seeded Murray said. “Last time, it was just pure relief, and I didn’t really enjoy the moment as much, whereas I’m going to make sure I enjoy this one.”
This was his 11th Grand Slam final, but the first against someone other than Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer.
Sixth-seeded Raonic eliminated Federer in five sets in the semi-finals on Friday last week and also defeated the player who stunned Djokovic in the third round, Sam Querrey.
Those wins helped Raonic become the first man representing Canada to reach a major final.
He did it by averaging 25 aces through six matches. However, on a breezy afternoon at Centre Court filled with nearly 15,000 partisan fans, Murray shut down that integral part of Raonic’s game.
It has been a rough few weeks for Britain, with its vote to leave the EU, the drop in the pound’s value and the resignation of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who was seated in the front row of the Royal Box, several seats over from Prince William and his wife, Kate.
During the trophy presentation, Murray jokingly said: “Playing in a Wimbledon final’s tough, but I certainly wouldn’t like to be a prime minister. It’s an impossible job.”
Murray long dealt with the expectations that accompanied being Britain’s best chance to find a male champion to succeed Fred Perry, who last won the grass-court tournament in 1936.
It took Raonic 36 minutes and five service games to record his first ace, and he wound up with only eight. Over and over, Murray managed to get the ball back, even one that came in at 236kph.
And while Murray only broke Raonic once, to lead 4-3 in the opening set, that was all it took, because the tiebreakers were surprisingly one-way traffic.
Murray also took 50 of 65 points he served across the first two sets, not only never facing so much as a break point in that span, but also being pushed to deuce merely once.
Finally, at 2-2 in the third, Raonic got to 15-40 for his first — and, it turned out, only — break points, thanks to a forehand return winner off an 132kph second serve.
According to official statistics, Murray made only 12 unforced errors, two in the second set. While that was a subjective accounting, anyone watching and listening could plainly tell that he was striking the ball cleanly and confidently, a crisp thwack resonating as racket strings hit ball, much more often than not putting shots right where intended.
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