Murray the new Master

Murray: First Masters win

I was happy to come through in two sets because the third set for both of us could have been pretty ugly tennis.

Andy Murray
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Andy Murray won his first ever Masters title with a pulsating 7-6 7-6 victory over world number three Novak Djokovic in Cincinnati.

With scorching on-court temperatures closing in on 100 degrees, the tennis at times matched the heat and Djokovic was the man who wilted under the pressure of Murray's all-action display.

The Scot squandered four championship points at 5-3 in one epic game in the second set, before Djokovic forced the break of serve to get back on level terms.

The set then went to a tiebreaker and, despite missing another championship point, Murray converted the sixth the grab his first Masters Series event after two hours and 22 minutes of lung-busting tennis.

Opening set

A tight first set always looked like heading to a tie-breaker, and so it proved, but once into the breaker Dunblane-born Murray took control and ran out a comfortable 7-4 winner to take the first set.

Serbian world number three Djokovic came out firing in the second set though and duly broke eighth seed Murray to go 2-1 in front, but Murray showed his increasing maturity by not panicking and breaking back instantly to level up the set again.

It then went with serve until Murray broke to go 5-3 ahead and have the chance to serve out his first Masters Series victory.

Murray produced his first double fault in what would turn out to be an epic game, before having to fend off a break point to get it back to deuce.

A net cord then went against him twice as Djokovic fought off three and then four match points - before hitting back and winning his second break point to get back into it at 5-4.

Murray did manage to then put his disappointment behind him to hold his serve and get to the tie-breaker, which stayed tight until Murray went 4-2 up.

Fighting

Again Djokovic, despite looking drained at times, pulled out some fantastic shots to hit back once more before a sublime backhand from Murray got him back on track.

Djokovic was taking some beating though but after saving a fifth match point he could do nothing against the sixth and the Cincinnati crowd rose to welcome a new Masters champion in Murray.

"It was a huge relief," Murray told Sky Sports after the game.

"In the game where I got broken he hit a drop shot that came off the net and he hit one backhand winner. I got really nervous after that because he was hitting the ball big and making me do a lot of running.

"It was tough for both us. There were a lot of long rallies and it was 104 degrees on the court and it is really tough conditions, some of the toughest conditions we play in.

"I was happy to come through in two sets because the third set for both of us could have been pretty ugly tennis.

"It's huge, to win these tournaments nowdays is so tough, I've played five days in a row in these conditions and come through some tough matches.

"It means a lot because I've put in the physical work off the court and it's paying off."