Marathon ends in a photo-finish

However,even the best of Murray wasn’t good enough. But his role in the epic battle was enough to make the Scot the most celebrated martyr of this year’s opening Slam.

Although his name will not be etched on a Slam trophy — he lost 3-6,6-3,7-6,1-6,7-5 — every other perception concerning Murray changed during the highly physically duel. In just five hours of his career,as against the remaining seven years,he showcased just why he belongs with the venerated rest. At the end of a match that defined the word exhausting,Djokovic called it “one of the best matches ever played.”

The brand new Murray did what the old one couldn’t have ever dreamt of. The grit in him awoke for the first time when Djokovic served for a 3-1 lead in the second. Murray left the past behind with a smash-leap higher than the net to kickstart proceedings,and soon pushed the game to deuce. The exchanges at 40-A lasted a startling 17 minutes,but the Murray held his nerves to break back to even terms in the third attempt.

Djokovic unleashed his uncanny ability to turn defence into attack within the space of a return,but today,Murray remained ever alert. He hunted down the drops,powered back the inch-perfect lobs and put more balls back than Djokovic could retrieve. The match was soon tied at a set a piece.

He broke Djokovic early in the third to go 2-1 up but the Serbian returned the favour in the next game,as the pair exchanged breaks like Christmas gifts. At 4-5 on serve,though,there were bigger presents on offer — three set points. Murray saved them with a 207 kmph second serve,a blistering forehand hook and a crisp volley at the net,pushing the set into a tie-break.

The win and the 88-minute thrilling set clearly took a lot out of Murray’s gut,as he was steam-rolled by his physically perfect opponent to three love games and a sum total of seven points in the fourth. The penultimate set lasted shorter than a few of the games in the deciding fifth.

After Murray hit every possible unforced error — long,wide,net and a complete miss — in the seventh game of the final set,Djokovic was four points away from a place in the final. But not only did he break back on love,Murray also reduced the Serbian wonder to a panting pile of mess on his next service game at 5-5,15-40. It was his first glimpse of the finish line in their last five meetings.

He didn’t cross it,but it was enough to make Murray tell his critics in the press room: “I now believe I’ll get there eventually.” Nobody disagreed.