Andy Murray beats Novak Djokovic to win Montreal Masters
Monday 17 August 2015 11:53, UK
Andy Murray ended his drought against world No 1 Novak Djokovic with a 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory to claim the Montreal Masters only hours after his coach Amelie Mauesmo gave birth.
The British No 1 needed five championship points and three hours to see off the Serb in a tense final, snapping an eight-match losing streak against Djokovic in the process as he scooped his 35th career title.
And the Scotsman, who moves to second in the ATP rankings on Monday, revealed the news from his French mentor, the only woman to coach a major men's player who gave birth to a baby boy on Sunday morning.
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With assistant Jonas Bjorkman watching from the player box, Murray turned in a fighting performance over three hours to finally beat Djokovic for the first time in more than two years, the first time since he won the 2013 Wimbledon final over the Serbian.
With the two top seeds renewing their rivalry a drawn-out battle was expected and the players did not disappoint, Murray forcing a total of 19 break points on Djokovic's serve, but the resilient Serb found reserves to hang in there time after time before eventually succumbing.
The Scot now owns 11 Masters 1000 titles and 35 over all. He denied Djokovic the chance at a 25th Masters trophy.
Murray won his fourth title of 2015 and lifted his record on the season to 53-8.
"My coach Amelie Mauresmo is back home. She gave birth to a baby boy this morning - I'm not sure she will have stayed up to watch this one. I'm sure she was a little bit tired, but Amelie this one's for you, thank you," Murray said on Sky Sports 1.
When asked if he felt preparations for the US Open could be going any better, Murray remained grounded saying: "It's hard to say. I lost in the first round of a tournament last week in a match many probably weren't expecting me to lose.
"Things can get better very quickly and they can get worse very quickly in sport, so it's important for me to analyse what went well this week and things I can still improve on."
The top seed had been aiming to win his fourth Rogers Cup in his ninth final of the year, but Murray was in determined mood.
Djokovic, the champion in 2007, 2011 and 2012, lost for only the fourth time in 56 matches this year and the Serb failed in his bid to tie the ATP Tour record for consecutive Masters 1000 event titles at five.
He was playing his ninth straight final, a run that included championship victories over Murray this year in the Australian Open and Miami Masters. But the Scot cut the Serb's series lead to 19-9.
In hot, muggy conditions at Uniprix Stadium, Murray served at 3-1 in the third, already up a break. A ferocious baseline battle went to deuce 10 times and Murray fought off six break points to take the game.
Djokovic had two more break points in the final game, but Murray pounded two service winners and eventually won when Djokovic hit a groundstroke long after a brief rally.
Djokovic said he hopes to carry his form into Cincinnati next week and the US Open, which starts on August 31 in New York.
"You never like losing, but any streak comes to an end," said Djokovic, who said he received treatment this week on a right elbow niggle which has been bothering him recently. "I just did some tests. They were good. They were positive. I hope for the best."
"I lost to a better player today. I lost to Andy, who I know very well. I did fight till the last point and did try my best. That's something that I take as a positive from this week," Djokovic said.
"Andy deserved the win. He stepped in, played some great shots. Most of all the moments when he needed to, he served very, very well. He just came up always with big serves, so I couldn't do much.
"When I reflect on the week, of course it's positive. I'm playing better as the tournament progressed, and hopefully I can continue in the same style in Cincinnati."
Murray will move to second in the world ahead of Roger Federer in the new world rankings on Monday.
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