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Murray ends long wait for grand slam success
Source: Agencies |
September 12, 2012, Wednesday
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BRITAIN'S long wait is over. The nation that invented modern tennis finally has a champion for the new age after Andy Murray won the US Open on Monday.
The jokes about wooden rackets and men playing in long, white trousers have lost their punchline and Fred Perry, the last British man to win a grand slam single title way back in 1936, can rest in peace.
It has been a long and agonizing wait for Murray too. The 25-year-old Scot, a naturally shy, introverted man, has carried the weight of expectation since the moment he emerged as the potential drought-breaker.
Unfairly branded a 'choker' after losing his first four grand slam final appearances, Murray silenced his critics and exorcized his own doubts forever when he beat the defending champion Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller.
Murray admitted that even with a confidence-boosting Olympic gold medal, he was nagged by doubts ahead of his US Open final after having lost four prior grand slam finals.
"The Olympics was huge for me. It was the biggest week of my life," Murray said. "But still, when I was sitting in the locker room beforehand, there were still doubts.
"You are still thinking, 'If I lose this one, no one has ever lost their first five finals.' I just didn't really want to be that person. I have been asked about it many times when I got close to winning grand slams before," he said. "I hope now it inspires some kids to play tennis and also takes away the notion that British tennis players choke or don't win, or it's not a good sport."
In 2010, Murray cried when he lost the Australian Open final to Roger Federer and he sobbed again when he lost to the Swiss master at Wimbledon in July.
But on Monday, under the bright lights of New York City's national tennis center, he shed tears of a joy as the heavy burden was lifted from his shoulders with a rousing 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 victory.
"I was obviously very emotional. I cried a little bit on the court," he said. "You're not sad, you're incredibly happy.
"You're in a little bit of disbelief because when I have been in that position many times before and not won... Is it ever going to happen? Then when it finally does, you're obviously very, very excited.
"I was mainly relieved to have got over that last hurdle."
Perry, who died in 1995 aged 85, won eight grand titles.
The jokes about wooden rackets and men playing in long, white trousers have lost their punchline and Fred Perry, the last British man to win a grand slam single title way back in 1936, can rest in peace.
It has been a long and agonizing wait for Murray too. The 25-year-old Scot, a naturally shy, introverted man, has carried the weight of expectation since the moment he emerged as the potential drought-breaker.
Unfairly branded a 'choker' after losing his first four grand slam final appearances, Murray silenced his critics and exorcized his own doubts forever when he beat the defending champion Novak Djokovic in a five-set thriller.
Murray admitted that even with a confidence-boosting Olympic gold medal, he was nagged by doubts ahead of his US Open final after having lost four prior grand slam finals.
"The Olympics was huge for me. It was the biggest week of my life," Murray said. "But still, when I was sitting in the locker room beforehand, there were still doubts.
"You are still thinking, 'If I lose this one, no one has ever lost their first five finals.' I just didn't really want to be that person. I have been asked about it many times when I got close to winning grand slams before," he said. "I hope now it inspires some kids to play tennis and also takes away the notion that British tennis players choke or don't win, or it's not a good sport."
In 2010, Murray cried when he lost the Australian Open final to Roger Federer and he sobbed again when he lost to the Swiss master at Wimbledon in July.
But on Monday, under the bright lights of New York City's national tennis center, he shed tears of a joy as the heavy burden was lifted from his shoulders with a rousing 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 victory.
"I was obviously very emotional. I cried a little bit on the court," he said. "You're not sad, you're incredibly happy.
"You're in a little bit of disbelief because when I have been in that position many times before and not won... Is it ever going to happen? Then when it finally does, you're obviously very, very excited.
"I was mainly relieved to have got over that last hurdle."
Perry, who died in 1995 aged 85, won eight grand titles.
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