Andy Murray launches himself into a forehand after racing to reach a shot from Novak Djokovic in the 2013 Wimbledon final. Photo: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian
The Scot’s scrambling at the Wimbledon finals stifled the life from Djokovic while the quality of his serve allowed him the space to breathe.
1. Murray refused to let Djokovic breathe
Andy Murray has always been a great fighter but even when Novak Djokovic led 4-1 in the second set and 4-2 in the third, the Scot refused to let any point go, because he knew how important every single one might be. The result was that Djokovic was never allowed to breathe, never allowed to cut loose.
2. He backed up his serve well
Murray’s second serve has always been his achilles heel, the one part of his game critics have singled out as an area of vulnerability, somewhere he can be attacked. But on Sunday, though it was not particularly powerful, the positioning and spin were such that Djokovic, arguably the best returner in the game, was unable to attack it.
3. Murray covered the court better than ever
Murray’s movement was outstanding, reward for the years he has dedicated to training in the heat of Miami. The Scot has become a truly world-class athlete in recent years and some of his sprints to Djokovic drop shots were breathtaking. The work he did to rest his ailing back, which forced him to miss the French Open on clay in Paris last month, clearly paid off.
4. He used the crowd in the best way
Murray did not come out fist-pumping, asking the Centre Court faithful to shout and scream from the very first point. Not that he needed to – the noise when he came on to court would have given him a huge boost in itself. Their chants of “Andy, Andy, Andy” doubtless helping him over the line as Djokovic pressed to make a comeback.
5. He held his nerve under massive pressure
Murray has always prided himself on his ability to see out sets or matches, when he is serving for them, and always believed that he had the mental strength to get things done. In the past couple of years there has been the odd occasion – one against Djokovic in Rome a couple of years ago – when he has failed to close out and paid the price with defeat. – The Guardian
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Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon 2013 men’s singles final: live
