LONDON (AP) — After Britain famously endured a 77-year wait between Wimbledon men’s champions, Andy Murray has given the host country a pair of titles in quick succession.
Murray dulled booming serves with quick-reflex returns, played impressively mistake-free tennis while coming up with daring passing shots and beat Milos Raonic 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) on Sunday for his second trophy at the All England Club since 2013 and third Grand Slam championship overall.
When he sat in his sideline chair after it was over, Murray wiped away tears with a tournament towel.
The second-seeded Murray was playing in his 11th major final, but the first against someone other than Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer.
But he didn’t need to face either of those rivals this fortnight: The sixth-seeded Raonic eliminated Federer in five sets in the semifinals Friday, and also defeated the player who stunned Djokovic in the third round, Sam Querrey.
Those wins helped the 25-year-old Raonic make his debut in a Grand Slam title match — the first man representing Canada to make it that far at one of the sport’s four most important tournaments.
He did it, primarily, on the strength of his speedy and intimidating serves, averaging 25½ aces while being broken a total of only five times through six matches. But on a breezy afternoon, at a Centre Court filled with nearly 15,000 fans, Murray basically shut down that integral part of Raonic’s game.
It’s been a rough few weeks for Britain, what with its vote to leave the European Union, the resulting drop of the pound’s value, and the subsequent resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron, who was seated in the front row of the Royal Box on Sunday, several seats over from Prince William and his wife, Kate.
Murray was even asked by a reporter during Wimbledon how it felt being Britain’s “last hope,” a question he jokingly dismissed by replying, “It’s not that bad, is it? Is it that bad?”
Murray, a 29-year-old from Scotland, long dealt with the expectations and pressures that accompanied being the locals’ best chance to find a new champion to succeed Fred Perry, who won the tournament in 1936.