A summer of champions

Today is a rather sombre day in New York City but late last night the Arthur Ashe Stadium was anything but sombre as another titanic Grand Slam tennis final between two gladiators came to close almost 5 hours after it started.

It was a breathtaking match to watch. The first set was gruelling with the tie break lasting longer than many women’s sets. Murray sensationally won the next set, but then the impending doom started to set in as Djokovic roared himself back into the game.

Both players were hitting some brutish returns as games often went 30 and 40 shots and as Djokovic powered himself back into contention on his favourite surface, Murray started to cut a familiar disconsolate figure and at the end of the 4th set many may have gone to bed fearing another ‘if only’ Murray tear-jerker.

However, Murray with his coach Ivan Lendl looking down on him unmoved by the drama all around him, found from somewhere the will to win his first ever Grand Slam and Britain’s first since Fred Perry in 1936.

Look out for the Andy Murray polo shirts in a store near you soon!

Even my Murray-hating-other-half looked relieved that he finally lifted one of the big four trophies and with Lendl alongside him, who also lost his first four Grand Slams, Murray can now go on and compete with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic on a more equal footing.

Individual sportsmen don’t always have the same nationalistic appeal to fans like team sports do. People follow of prefer to lend their support to Formula 1 racing drivers or golfers or tennis players because of their abilities or personalities and Andy Murray in particular, a bit like Nick Faldo, has always struggled against this, sometimes, in fact often, not helping himself.

I love watching Novak Djokovic play, who successfully combines cockiness with humility but last night I was cheering Murray on. It was torturous to watch but one just got the impression that the Scot was aware of the groundswell of support for him in the stadium and at home.

Murray is not easy to love, but a new maturity and the way in which he conceded this year’s Wimbledon gracefully and emotionally to Roger Federer gained him some converts. Then of course he was one of the key sportsman this stupendous summer as GB turned from plucky losers to winners.

What a wonderful way to bring the curtain down on a beautiful summer of British sport. Let’s hope the autumn and the winter brings more successes. Well done Andy Murray, another champion.