British number one Andy Murray claimed his third Masters title with a gutsy 6-2 7-5 win over Novak Djokovic in Miami.
Scot closing in on the top three
British number one Andy Murray claimed his third Masters title with a gutsy 6-2 7-5 win over Novak Djokovic in Miami.
The world number four strolled through the first set with some breathtaking tennis.
But in the second his touch deserted him, and the Scot was forced to fight back after going a break down before sweeping to victory.
Murray earned two break points in the first game and Djokovic surrendered the second of them, skying a forehand off the frame.
The reply from Murray was ominous for his Serbian opponent, an ace and a deft crosscourt forehand following a net exchange putting him in charge of a game he won to love.
It continued to go Murray's way as Djokovic netted a drive volley to hand the Scot a second break.
The lead soon became 4-0 as Djokovic struggled even to test his opponent, though the Serbian found some respite by winning game five, then claiming his first point on the Murray serve.
A Pete Sampras-style slam dunk and a mesmeric backhand pass kept Murray in control though, before the next Djokovic service game went to deuce.
He held on despite a rash of unforced errors, but it merely delayed the inevitable as Murray again bamboozled the Serbian with more deft play to take the set 6-2.
Djokovic saved two break points at the start of the second with the help of an excellent drop shot, but Murray passed him twice more to take the game after it went to deuce.
That prompted Djokovic to call for the trainer, but he looked unhindered as he immediately broke back and held for a 2-1 lead.
Suddenly it was Murray who was making unforced errors and he netted to hand Djokovic two break points, then went long to give his opponent his third game in a row.
Rhythm
That became four before Murray finally stopped the rot at 4-2, but Djokovic was a different player by then and found rhythm on serve to leave Murray 5-2 down.
Murray held before taking Djokovic to deuce and, after saving a couple of set points, finally earned himself a break opportunity which he converted when Djokovic went wide by the narrowest of margins, as a Hawkeye challenge agonisingly demonstrated.
The Scot's serve dragged him through another game to level at 5-5, before some dogged defence and a fortuitous net cord gave him three break points, of which he only needed one.
And Djokovic went long from the net to hand Murray the title and move the Scot even closer to breaking into the top three in the world.
