Andy Murray Outlasts Novak Djokovic to Win U.S. Open

Andy Murray outlasted Novak Djokovic to win the U.S. Open final and his first Grand Slam title. (Robert Sabo)

When Andy Murray won Olympic gold for the host nation, a sense of relief alleviated the pressures of not winning "the big one." However, he had still never won a Grand Slam. After defeating Tomas Berdych in the U.S. Open semifinal, Murray earned a spot in his fifth Grand Slam final. His opponent was reigning U.S. Open champion Novak Djokovic.

History was not on Murray's side. No British man had won the U.S. Open since Fred Perry did 76 years ago in 1936. That didn't phase Murray though because he had to overcome his own personal drought if he was going to make history. His task wouldn't be easy against the always tough Djokovic.

The final between Murray and Djokovic quickly turned into a battle of will as much as skill. Their first-set tiebreaker lasted 22 points, setting a tournament record. As if that weren't enough, the duo also battled out points that last 10, 20, 30, and even 55 strokes. Murray took the first two sets of the match, 7-6, 7-5, to take a commanding lead.

Djovokic wouldn't go down easily though. He came back with sets of 6-2 and 6-3 to force the decisive fifth set. Despite the fact that Djokovic had won eight consecutive five-set matches, he was the one that looked to tire first in the final set. Murray was on the verge of victory when he broke Djokovic's serve to lead 5-2.

When Djokovic's return of the match point went long, Murray crouched and covered his mouth with both hands. He took off his shoes and painfully walked to center court. Djokovic met him and congratulated him on his effort with an embrace. Murray had outlasted Djokovic in an epic battle that lasted 4 hours and 54 minutes, tying the record for the longest Open final. The Grand Slam title is not only significant for Murray, but for British tennis as a whole. The nation prides itself on the sport. Now, they might finally have a man who can be one of the best in the world once again.