by Joey Davies
@theonejoeydThe last two sets were 6-3 6-2. It suggests to the casual tennis or sports fan that Andy Murray was beaten down in the third and fourth set of the Australian Open final by Novak Djokovic. But it was a lot tighter than that.
Djokovic edged set one and had the break point chances, Murray survived and won the tie break. Djokovic, frustrated after a few errors in that breaker, swore angrily in his native Serbian. The second set Murray was the better player and created the break points, did not take them and Djokovic made him pay in the tie breaker.
The third set went with serve until the eighth game when the Serbian slayer broke. Murray began to wilt, as his four hour semi final win over Roger Federer began to catch up with him as he limped around in the fourth set- Djokovic punishing him with the right tactics, moving him around until he could run no more.
But that does not take away from a phenomenal Djokovic victory- it is his sixth grand slam title, moving him level with the great Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg. If he wins the next Slam, Roland Garros in four months time, he would become the seventh man in Open Era history to have won all four Grand Slam trophies. Two of those, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, are still active and this shows how tough it has been for Andy to triumph at the very biggest tournaments.
But what these statistics do is emphasise just what outstanding accomplishments his Olympic gold medal and US Open title were. He beat the very best in the business- Djokovic and Federer, to unlock the doors to immortality. Quite often the British media and public will label unrealistic expectations on its sporting performers but whatever happens from here, Murray contributed immensely to a memorable two weeks in London for Team GB, the first British male of the Open Era to win a grand slam, and the first in 76 years.
Wherever Andy Murray goes from here, he has secured his rightful place in the pantheon of British sporting legends.
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