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Great Britain's Grand Slam

September 11, 2012

Andy Murray has won the US Open in a near-record-breaking five hours to become the first British man since 1936 to capture a Grand Slam title. Serena Williams won the women's singles title on Sunday.

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Murray beat defending champion Novak Djokovic 7-6 (10), 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 in his fifth attempt at a Grand Slam final. The 25-year-old found himself on the ropes going into the decisive fifth set, after Djokovic, down two sets, had evened the match. However, Murray, a Scot, broke the Serb's serve in the first game, and then again to go up 3-0.

"I don't know how I did it," an exhausted Murray said after winning the four-hour, 54-minute men's final, second in US Open history only to the one played by his coach, Ivan Lendl, against Mats Wilander in 1988. "It was incredibly tricky conditions. After the third and fourth sets, it was tough mentally. Novak is so strong."

Murray hit 31 winners and broke Djokovic's serve eight times in 17 chances. Djokovic also got treated for a groin injury prior to the last game.

'He absolutely deserves this'

"It wasn't meant to be," said Djokovic, now ranked No. 2, behind Roger Federer. "I want to congratulate Andy and his team. He absolutely deserves this."

Djokovic en route to the final (REUTERS/Adam Hunger)
Djokvic was gracious in defeatImage: Reuters

Murray's victory caps a successful summer in which he went to the Wimbledon final against Federer and lost, but then beat the Swiss three weeks later on the same court to take Olympic gold. Murray is the first man to win the Olympics and the US Open in one summer.

Fred Perry won the last Grand Slam for British men way back in 1936 at the US Championships, the predecessor to the Open. Murray's win breaks an eight-match losing streak by Brits in Grand Slam finals.

mkg/ (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa)