Kisses all round... and the loudest roar as Andy hugs mum: Judy's tears as Murray is first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years

Andy Murray beats Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 on Centre Court in a scorching Wimbledon men's singles final
Scot, 26, becomes the first British man to win Wimbledon since 1936 and puts himself in line for a knighthood
Embraces his coach, physio, dietician, fitness guru, girlfriend, best friend, father, friends - and then his mother
Girlfriend Kim Sears and Judy Murray among boisterous crowd yesterday as court temperatures nudged 50C

By ROBERT HARDMAN

Our golden boy: Andy Murray ends 77 years of waiting for a British champion as he kisses the Wimbledon men's trophy yesterday after defeating world No 1 Novak Djokovic in straight sets



Game, set, match, championship, sporting history and 77 years of collective national gratitude to the Olympian from Dunblane.
In an epic display of resilience, perseverance and sheer guts, Andy Murray finally filled the greatest void in British sport’s trophy cabinet at 5.24 yesterday afternoon, beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to become the first British man to win Wimbledon since 1936 and put himself in line for a knighthood.

Glorious moment for British sport: Andy Murray holds up the Wimbledon trophy after defeating Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the Men's Final today

He nearly committed an equally historic faux-pas at the moment of triumph, having clambered up into the stands to embrace his coach, physio, dietician, fitness guru, girlfriend, best friend, father and a few chums along the way. On his way down again, he remembered that there was someone else seated just behind the players’ box.

So proud of you, son: Andy Murray finally makes it up into the crowd to give mother Judy a hug and a kiss after beating Novak Djokovic...

...she had earlier wept for joy as Murray took the point to become the first British men’s singles winner since 1936

Sheer relief: Andy Murray collapses to his knees after beating Novak Djokovic in three straight sets

To arguably the loudest cheers of the entire day, he returned to hug his mum.
History will record this as a straight sets affair. There was, of course, nothing straightforward in his victory over the world No 1. Time after time, the path to victory was blocked as the indomitable Serbian bounced back and pushed Murray to the limits.

What a match: Great Britain's Andy Murray celebrates beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic on a sweltering day 13 of the Wimbledon Championships in south-west London

At times, the Centre Court temperature was nudging 50C (122F). While that precluded any use of the dreaded sliding roof, which Murray hates, it made for Saharan conditions.
The 26-year-old wasn’t just sweating. Long before the first set was over, his shirt would have breached a hosepipe ban. Up in the Royal Box, even the Duke of Kent, president of the All England Club, had already removed his jacket, whereupon the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and others felt safe to follow suit.

Unbelievable: On his knees, head in hands, Murray is overcome by his achievement at the end of his dramatic match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia

Winners: Andy Murray, left, poses with the Wimbledon trophy alongside Novak Djokovic after he won the Men's singles final match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon

He's done it! Spectators watching a TV screen in an outdoor area of Wimbledon celebrate as Andy Murray beats Novak Djokovic of Sebia in the men's singles final

Applause: Murray poses with the Gentlemen's Singles Trophy during the Wimbledon Championships 2013 Winners Ball at the InterContinental Park Lane Hotel

She can't believe it: Kim Sears was ecstatic as Murray won the championship point at the end of an action-packed Wimbledon men's singles final



source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2357973/Andy-Murray-wins-Wimbledon-Loudest-roar-came-went-hug-emotional-mum-Judy-Murray.html
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Murray takes first set in epic clash with Djokovic: Kim, Cameron and a crowd of thousands cheer Andy on at Wimbledon final

Murray must defeat Novak Djokovic to become the first British Wimbledon champion since Fred Perry in 1936
His has a secret weapon in the 15,000-strong crowd which has helped him through some tough battles on the court
But conditions are tough out on Centre Court for both players today as temperatures soar to more than 30C
Girlfriend Kim Sears was at the forefront of the supporters in the players' box with Judy Murray - the Scot's mother
Prime Minister David Cameron, Hollywood heart-throb Bradley Cooper, and Wayne Rooney also in the crowd

By SUZANNAH HILLS

On form: Andy Murray took the first set in his final match against Novak Djokovic

Andy Murray was greeted with a standing ovation and cheers of delight as he took the first set against Novak Djokovic in the men's final at Wimbledon this afternoon.
Murray, who has spoken of the importance of crowd support during the tournament, is being urged on to victory by thousands of loyal fans shouting 'we love you' and 'you can do it Andy' as he battles the world number one.
And the crowd is obviously proving to have the desired impact as the British number one kicked off the match on top form, taking the first set 6-4.

At the forefront of supporters: Kim Sears, the girlfriend of Andy Murray, claps as the final Men's singles final match gets underway in the blistering heat today

All star crowd: Ed Miliband, Rod Laver, Victoria Beckham, Wayne Rooney and his wife Coleen at the Wimbledon final today

Under pressure: Novak Djokovic wipes his brow between points during his men's final match against Andy Murray

If Murray is successful in his life-long dream to win Wimbledon, he will be the first Briton to win the men’s singles in 77 years.
Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears was at the forefront of the supporters in the players' box at All England Club's most famous court, while a tense-looking Judy Murray - the Scot's mother - was also courtside for the clash.
Prime Minister David Cameron, Hollywood heart-throb Bradley Cooper, and footballer Wayne Rooney also arrived to watch the Scot on Centre Court today as he takes on Djokovic.
Mr Cameron has wished Murray luck, saying: 'I think the whole country has been incredibly impressed, not just with his skill but with his courage and his mental courage in coming through to the final yet again. The whole country is right behind you Andy - go for it.'

Bend it like Beckham: Victoria Beckham was among the celebrity spectators watching the match from the Royal Box

Despite the 'Curse of Cameron', the Prime Minister is in attendance at the match while Downing Street is flying the Scottish Saltire to mark the occasion.
A string of stars have seen their hopes of glory fade following previous endorsement from the Tory leader.
Earlier this week, the PM sent his best wishes to Britain's number one female player Laura Robson, 19, shortly before her fourth-round exit.

Heating up: Andy Murray, pictured left, and Novak Djokovic, pictured right, both had to cope with temperatures topping 30C during the men's final

Last summer he arrived at Wimbledon for the finals, where Murray was defeated by Roger Federer, and he followed this with a series of visits to Olympic events where British medal hopefuls lost out.
Cameron was joined by other well-known public figures including Victoria Beckham and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's wife Tana.
Labour leader Ed Miliband, actor Gerard Butler and Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond also had prime seats in Centre Court while fellow Olympian Sir Chris Hoy was also among the crowds for the match.

The match got underway after Murray and Djokovic took part in the customary coin toss, performed by 11-year-old Pinki Sonkar, from India, who was born with a cleft lip and received life-changing surgery thanks to the charity Smile Train.
On the hottest day of the year, with the mercury soaring above 30 degrees Celsius, the world's two best players produced some scorching sinew-stretching action from the start and the first three games alone lasted 20 minutes.
The head court groundsman Neil Stubley suggested that the temperatures out on the court had topped 40C.

In action: Andy Murray of Britain stretches for a return by Novak Djokovic during the Men's singles final match

The opening salvo of the Centre Court clash lasted 20 strokes as Murray went up 0-40 on the Serb's serve but Djokovic produced staunch defence to stave off his opponent's attack.
The duo did trade breaks in the third and fourth games, with each Murray winner being greeted by a chorus of 15,000 roars.
Second seed Murray got another chance to break to love in the seventh game and this time he pounced as the 2011 champion surrendered his serve by slapping a backhand into the net.
A set that initially looked like lasting forever ended exactly on the hour mark as Djokovic whipped a service return wide to give Murray, runner-up to Roger Federer last year, the one-set cushion.

Fans came well-prepared for a scorching day at SW19, with people in the queue using umbrellas in a desperate bid to shelter themselves from the blazing sun.
Thermometers at Heathrow and Kew Gardens in the capital nudged 28.1C (82.6F) yesterday, but those temperatures are set to be put in the shade today.
Matt Dobson, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, said: 'We are looking at temperatures of between 26C (78.8F) and 29C (84.2F) across many inland parts of England and eastern Wales, and we could just see 30C (86F) likely in west London.
'Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far, and it is fairly comfortable that we are going to beat that today, with the favourite spot to do so being west London and the Thames Valley.'

Packed out: Crowds watch Murray play on a large screen on Northcote Road in Battersea this afternoon

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2357781/Wimbledon-final-Murray-takes-set-epic-clash-Djokovic-Kim-Cameron-crowd-thousands.html
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He's RAISED the roof! Murray wins Wimbledon semi-final despite rival causing a 20-minute break in play as Andy hit his stride... by demanding court cover was used because it was too DARK to play

British number one beat Poland's Jerzy Janowicz in four sets
Murray, 26, lost the first set 7-6 but won the second set 6-4
Murray went a break down in the third set but came back to take it 6-4
Play stopped was while roof was put on after Pole complained about light
Murray said decision was 'not fair' and that complaints were 'mad'
But he came back to take the fourth set 6-3
Murray will play number one seed Djokovic in Sunday's final

By ROSIE TAYLOR, JOHN HUTCHINSON and STEVE ROBSON

Victory: Andy Murray celebrates defeating Poland's Jerzy Janowicz in the Wimbledon semi-final

Andy Murray has won his semi-final clash against Poland's Jerzy Janowicz in a controversial match which saw play stopped for the roof to be put on.
Murray, 26, held both hands aloft as he looked to the skies after being cheered to glory by a lively crowd at Centre Court.

Gracious: Janowicz and Murray shake hands despite both getting frustrated earlier in the match about the roof

In a tense match, the Scot lost the first set after it went to a tie-break, but rallied in the second set to take it 6-4. Despite going a break down in the third, Murray was inspired by a passionate crowd to come back and win the set 6-4.
After play was paused for around 20 minutes for the roof to be put on, Murray returned with a bang to take the fourth set 6-3.
But the semi-final match was marred by frustration from both players after Janowicz complained about the light and demanded the roof was put on - to the apparent frustration of Murray who branded the decision 'ridiculous' and unfair.

Knocked out: The 22-year-old Pole was defeated by Murray in four sets

The victory means he will now bid to become the first British player to lift the men's trophy since Fred Perry in 1936, when he faces number one seed Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final.
The Serbian won his final place after a record-breaking five set win over Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro.
IN his semi-final clash, Murray, 26, unleashed an angry tirade after referee Andrew Jarrett appeared to agree to his 22-year-old opponent's request to close the roof at 8.40pm - just after Murray had won the third set to go two sets to one up.

Under the roof: Murray faced Jerzy Janowic under cover after the Pole controversially complained about the light during the third set

'It's ridiculous, it's not even dark,' Murray said. 'This is an outdoor tournament, I don't understand these rules - there's no rules.'
He added: 'This is not fair. The whole reason we are stopping is because of him.'
Fans appeared to share his views and a groan echoed round the Wimbledon grounds as play stopped.
Commentator Sue Barker branded the decision 'unbelievable'. 'I do have immense sympathy with Andy,' she added. 'I feel very, very sorry for Andy.'

Celebration: Murray's girlfriend Kim Sears leaps to her feet as he wins the match

British women's number two Heather Watson expressed her frustration on Twitter. 'Very poor!! Awful decision about the roof,' she wrote.
Earlier Murray had also complained that Janowicz had been talking during a point.
The Scot received a standing ovation as he left the court following the match.

Yes! Murray's girlfriend was jubilant as he won a point against the Pole

Speaking afterwards, he said he was 'delighted' with the victory.
Murray's mother Judy and girlfriend Kim Sears smiled broadly as he ousted Janowicz while cheers erupted on a packed Murray Mount.
Janowicz, 22, the first Polish man in history to reach the semi-finals of a grand slam, is known for his outbursts on court and Murray had predicted the semi-final bout would be a 'very tough match'.

Gasp: Pippa Middleton and her banker boyfriend Nico Jackson seemed on the edge of their seats as Murray battled Janowicz

Earlier the British number one arrived at the All England Club's main lawn to a roar of support from the crowd.
Actor Jude Law was among a host of famous faces who took their seats in the Royal Box to watch the action.
The Alfie star was joined by the Duke of York, boxer Amir Khan, veteran broadcaster Sir David Frost and Anna Wintour, the editor of American Vogue.
Meanwhile Pippa Middleton put in a second appearance at the All England Club with her boyfriend Nico Jackson.
The Duchess of Cambridge's sister, 29, who watched from the Royal Box on Monday with her brother James, took a seat in the crowd this afternoon to watch Murray win his place in the final.
Away from Centre Court, thousands of fans clambered on to Murray Mount to watch the match on a big screen.



source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2356809/Wimbledon-2013-Andy-Murray-wins-semi-final-despite-Jerzy-Janowicz-causing-20-min-break-play.html
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It's Andy against the 'Pole-veriser' and Kim against the Playboy model: The 6ft 8in powerhouse standing between Murray and a final place... and the battle of the Wimbledon wags

At 14 stone and 6ft 8ins, Jerzy Janowicz is 7lb heavier than Murray as well as a five inches taller
He is the 24th seeding for Wimbledon serves at a speed of up to 149mph, the quickest in the tournament
Four years younger than 26-year-old Murray he has already beaten him once, at the Paris Masters in November
Girlfriend Marta Domachowska is also a tennis pro who has posed topless for Polish Playboy

By ELEANOR HARDING and TOM KELLY

Big threat: Andy Murray must beat Poland's formidable Jerzy Janowicz to proceed to Sunday's final



Just one man stands between Andy Murray and a second successive Wimbledon final. The bad news is that the man in question – Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz – is a powerhouse who stands at 6ft 8in.
Known as the ‘Pole-veriser’, his formidable presence means Britain’s number one has no easy task in today’s semi-finals.
At 14 stone, Janowicz is 7lb heavier than Murray as well as a five inches taller. He serves at a speed of up to 149mph, the quickest in the tournament, and has already beaten Murray once, at the Paris Masters in November.

Aged just 22, he is four years younger than 26-year-old Murray and has quickly made the top 30 in the world rankings. But his 24th seeding for Wimbledon still leaves him a long way short of number two seed Murray’s quality and experience.

The Scot will be cheered on by anxious crowds in Centre Court and on Murray Mound as he takes to the grass in SW19 this afternoon.
And alongside his mother Judy, 53, and girlfriend Kim Sears, 25, there will be a new addition to tennis royalty – Janowicz’s girlfriend Marta Domachowska.
The blonde beauty has flown in from Warsaw to cheer him on, and may yet prove a rival to Miss Sears’s title as Queen of the Wimbledon Wags.

Wimbledon Wags: Kim Sears, the girlfriend of Andy Murray Marta (left) and Marta Domachowska the girlfriend of Jerzy Janowicz (right)

With her long golden locks, slim figure and sun-kissed skin, the 27-year-old’s similarity to Miss Sears is obvious.
But while the pair may look rather similar, the comparison appears to end there.
In contrast to sensible Kim, who hails from the Home Counties and has a pet portraiture business, Marta wowed her male admirers earlier this year by posing topless for Polish Playboy.
Murray has insisted he will not be unnerved by his next opponent, who is the first Polish man to play in a Wimbledon semi-final.

He wrote in his BBC column: ‘Janowicz might be a big guy with a big serve, but I won’t be intimidated by him.
‘If anything, it’s more likely that a player’s endurance ability is something I’d find it hard to compete against.
‘If you know someone can outlast you, it puts a lot more pressure on the beginning of the match.
‘If someone just has a big shot then you can try to find ways to take that away from them.’
He added: ‘I’m sure the nerves will start building the night before and during the day.
‘Dealing with nerves is a part of the job at this stage of a slam and you can’t dictate when they will hit you.’

Glamour couple: Girlfriend Marta in Polish Playboy

But Janowicz’s camp is confident. ‘He likes to play in front of many people on big stadium courts,’ his Finnish coach Kim Tiilikainen told the BBC. ‘He doesn’t look up to the big names.
He actually gets pumped up playing the top ten, as he thinks he can beat anyone.’
He has been dubbed the new ‘bad boy’ of tennis and said in a recent interview: ‘I am an explosive character and a pure fighter.
‘On court, during a match, I focus on every ball. I don’t need to play aesthetically well. The most important thing is to win matches.’ Joanna Mludzinska, chairman of the UK-based Polish Social and Cultural Association, said: ‘Jerzy Janowicz reaching the semi-finals, a first for a Polish male, is beyond our wildest dreams.

‘He’s a brilliant player who’s exciting to watch and hard to beat. Poles around the UK will be urging him to victory.’
Miss Domachowska’s former boyfriend is the world champion swimmer Pawel Korzeniowski, who she dated for five years and is thought to have been engaged to.
She arrived at Wimbledon on Wednesday, just in time to see Janowicz beat his fellow Pole Lukasz Kubot in the quarter-final in straight sets.
Yesterday, she was supporting him in the stands as he practised near Centre Court ahead of his semi-final with Murray.
Looking more demure than usual, she scraped her hair back into a bun and opted for a conservative ensemble of cream trousers, patterned T-shirt and navy blazer.
Asked about Janowicz’s chances against home favourite Murray in today’s semi-final, she said: ‘We’ll see. But surely he is in good form and playing very well.’

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2356503/Wimbledon-2013-6ft-8in-Pole-veriser-Andy-Murray-final-place.html
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Murray's effing miracle! Andy reaches Wimbledon semis after coming back from two sets down in epic battle against the Muscles of Madrid - with a little swearing along the way

Murray beats Fernando Verdasco on Centre Court for semi-final place
British number one lost first two sets 6-4 6-3 before winning 6-1 6-4 7-5
At one point he appeared to mouth 'F****** w*****, what are you doing?'

By TOM KELLY, ELEANOR HARDING, STEVE ROBSON and MARK DUELL

Victory: Andy Murray celebrates after defeating Fernando Verdasco of Spain in their quarter-final tennis match

Andy Murray yesterday completed an extraordinary comeback in an epic Wimbledon quarter-final - winning the last three sets after losing the first two of his encounter with Fernando Verdasco.
The British number one beat the 29-year-old Spaniard - known as the Muscles of Madrid - on Centre Court as he continued his bid to go one better than last year and win the tournament.
But after a Wimbledon full of slip-ups, Murray, 26, had to be in top form to progress after losing the first two sets 6-3 6-4. He fought back to claim the third set 6-1, the fourth 6-4 and the fifth 7-5.

Yes: Murray was a relieved man after his victory over Fernando Verdasco at the Wimbledon Championships

Murray had gone down 6-4 in his second set to the Spaniard - putting Verdasco up 2-0 in sets - and retired to his chair before screaming: 'What the f*** are you doing? What the f*** are you doing?'.
BBC commentator Andrew Castle made an apology for the audible remarks - saying the broadcaster apologised for the language, but added he could understand the frustration felt by the British star.

Kim Sears suffered along with the rest of the UK as her boyfriend went two sets down before emerging the victor against unseeded Verdasco after three-and-a-half nailbiting hours.
She grimaced and gasped in horror as Murray made a series of blunders in the first half of the match.

Hooray: Murray reacts during his game with Verdasco, which was watched by his girlfriend Kim Sears

But as he clawed his way back into contention she jumped up and punched the air in delight, shouting: ‘Whoo!, come on!’
When the Centre Court crowd rose as one as Murray finally secured victory she collapsed back in her seat in relief and was seen mouthing: ‘Get in’.
Minutes after the match, 25-year-old Miss Sears was herself cheered by the Wimbledon crowds as she ran through the All England Club on her way to congratulate her boyfriend.

Oh, the drama! Kim Sears looked exceptionally tense as Andy Murray closed in on beating Fernando Verdasco

Murray’s mother, Judy, who had looked on anxiously throughout the match, was seen punching the air as Murray broke Verdasco’s serve and prepared to serve for the match.
The win means Murray remains on course to become the first British player to lift the men’s Wimbledon trophy since Fred Perry in 1936.

Tough opposition: Spaniard Fernando Verdasco was a tricky opponent with a dangerous left-hand serve

Murray last night paid tribute to the Centre Court crowd after earlier in the week saying he missed the ‘raucous’ atmosphere at the All England Club when he won gold at the London Olympics.
He said: ‘I love it when it’s like that. It was extremely noisy. They were right into it pretty much every single point. It was good today, especially when I went behind.’
Roars also echoed across Murray Mount – formerly known as Henman Hill – where thousands of people packed on to the steep bank to watch the Scot fight to victory.

Hit back: An official ducks away from Murray as he returns against Spain's Fernando Verdasco in the fifth set





source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2354453/Wimbledon-2013-Andy-Murray-takes-set-losing-clash-Fernando-Verdasco.html
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Wimbledon 2013: the real Andy Murray proves he is now more of a gladiator after his first-round success

Hundreds of campers spend damp night waiting for tickets to see Murray
Olympics and US Open winner beats German Benjamin Becker 6-4 6-3 6-2
Pippa and James Middleton in attendance along with Condoleezza Rice
Cloudy first morning but pleasant weather expected for opening week
Murray, 26, promised expectant fans he'll 'give everything on the court'
One in 18 London workers plans to skive off work during championship
Shock as Rafael Nadal exits in straight sets to Steve Darcis on Court 1

By MARK DUELL

Safe progress: Andy Murray on his way to a straight-sets win over Germany’s Benjamin Becker Photo: REUTERS

Murray mania rippled through south-west London today as the British number one confidently kicked off his Wimbledon campaign with a straight sets win at the All England Club.
Hundreds of campers had spent a damp night waiting for tickets to see Andy Murray’s first match - with some arriving as early as Saturday afternoon to ensure a place on Centre Court.

Celebrations: Britain's Andy Murray acknowledges the crowd after his first round victory at Wimbledon

Victory: Andy Murray celebrates defeating Germany's Benjamin Becker during day one of Wimbledon

Leaping: Andy Murray hits a return to Benjamin Becker of Germany during their men's singles tennis match

Proud: Kim Sears applauds as Andy Murray defeats Germany's Benjamin Becker during day one of Wimbledon

Murray walked onto Centre Court this afternoon to launch his challenge with a match against Germany’s Benjamin Becker, and he won comfortably in straight sets - 6-4 6-3 6-2.
But it wasn't plain sailing for Murray's old foe Rafael Nadal, who astonishingly crashed out after losing in straight sets to Belgian Steve Darcis on Court One - 7-6 (7/4) 7-6 (10/8) 6-4.

Huge shock: Steve Darcis of Belgium celebrates (right)

after defeating Rafael Nadal (left) of Spain in the singles

Meanwhile a major shock happened as Rafael Nadal crashed out after losing in straight sets to Belgian Steve Darcis on Court One.
The crowds have not yet been deterred by the miserable weather over the past few days.

Defeat: Rafael Nadal was not at his best by a long stretch as he was defeated by Steve Darcis of Belgium

Arrival: Pippa and James Middleton are shown to their seats in the Royal Box on Centre Court at Wimbledon

Among those watching play from the Royal Box this afternoon were the Duchess of Cambridge's sister Pippa Middleton, her brother James and former U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice.

Smiles: Pippa and James Middleton in the Royal Box on Centre Court prior to first round action at Wimbledon

Outside: Spectators crowd the steps around Murray Mount to watch the big screen on day one of Wimbledon

Fans had expressed high hopes for the 26-year-old Scot, who once again hopes to make Wimbledon history and become the first British man to take the trophy since Fred Perry in 1936.

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2347218/Wimbledon-2013-Thousands-arrive-day-Andy-Murray-prepares-battle.html
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