Defending champion Novak Djokovic defeated Murray in the 2015, 2013, and 2011 Australian Open final. He is one of a very select group, then.
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Murray pulled away from Raonic in the fifth set Friday, winning 20 of 25 points to go ahead 4-0 before taking the decider 6-2.
“Superior physical sturdiness, mental strength and experience saw Murray through against a volley of 23 aces from the strings of the hugely improved Canadian”, says Barry Flatman of The Times.
Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic were born one week apart in May 1987.
If it was Raonic who often set the pace in the first three sets, Murray hung in there in characteristic fashion.
“Probably the most heartbroken I felt on court, but that’s what it is”, the 13th seed told reporters afterwards.
“To sustain that level and throughout the year to be actually consistent requires a lot more than just a good game”, he said. I need to do it for a very long period if I want to get the win. “That’s my challenge on Sunday”.
Yet as supreme as he is, Djokovic is still not as appreciated by Australian crowds as much as Federer, as evidenced again in Thursday’s semi-final when the crowd was whole-heartedly behind the Swiss.
Tournament organisers will be hoping Murray’s wife Kim does not go into labour with the couple’s first child overnight, a scenario that Murray has said would result in him jumping on a plane back to Britain.
For two players who have always been known for their return games, Djokovic and Murray have built themselves into serving powerhouses, as well.
“Novak does everything so well”, Mauresmo said.
They are the first brothers to reach the finals in the men’s singles and doubles at a Grand Slam event in the Open era. “We have to be inspired from that as well”.
El británico Andy Murray festeja tras vencer al canadiense Milos Raonic en la semifinal del Abierto de Australia, viernes 29 de enero de 2016. The huge and powerful Canadian has been playing the best tennis of his life this season and with his massive serve, a new-found willingness to come into the net and the ability to crush the ball from the baseline, he sprinted out of the blocks against the Scot. Murray clung on to his serve like a limpet after that. Murray was sacked up when he needed to be and downright cussed when he had to be but, for the most part, he was just focused on the point in front of him.
“When I hear predictions that are positive, of course, it does flatter and add to your confidence”, he said Saturday at Melbourne Park. “I wasn’t allowing him to dictate as numerous points as I was at the beginning”.
“I’m just trying to use what he’s giving me on the court and try to make adjustments to my game if needs be”. So I’m very proud of him.
“A lot of things are obviously important”, Murray said of the final against his Melbourne nemesis. I’m going to have to face one of the biggest rivals, but that’s what it takes. I should be happy about that.
Djokovic, who has defeated Murray in all of four of their Australian Open finals matches, leads the British in their FedEx ATP Head2Head matchup by 21-9 and has won 10 of their last 11 outings.
He said: “You dream about this moment since when you start playing tennis and I don’t know what to say”.
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Previous year here is a good match for me to look at because the tennis, in my opinion, wasn’t miles apart.
