So there we go. Murray is fantastic, but Djokovic is elastic.
Thanks all for your company and comments - bye.
Novak Djokovic plays spectacularly well to come from a set down to wallop Andy Murray; he wins his first French Open and becomes the first man since 1969 to hold all four Grand Slam titles concurrently
So there we go. Murray is fantastic, but Djokovic is elastic.
Thanks all for your company and comments - bye.
Read Kevin Mitchell’s report, here and now.
Djokovic slips into English for Andy’s benefit, talking of “very special moments we’ve shared ... I’m sure I’ll be seeing you with big trophies in the future ... I know how much work you guys put in .. he’s one of the most dedicated guys on the tour.
My family, my team, thank you so much for tolerating everything on a daily basis. There’s plenty of things I can talk about til tomorrow ... but thank you so much for being able to manage me.”
Murray apologises for his lack of French, and hanks his team and the crowd - the latter weren’t behind him, but competitor that he is, he loves it anyway. Then he thanks the ballkids, grounds staff and umpires, congratulates Novak’s team, and then congratulates Novak - “what he’s achieved is phenomenal ... It’s not happened for an extremely long time and it’s going to take an extremely long time for it to happen again... obviously it sucks to lose the match ... I’m proud to have been part of today.”
Djokovic is wearing the ecstatic, slightly bemused look of someone experiencing the might of chemistry. It’s actually quite weird to contemplate how well he contrived to play this afternoon.
Apparently not; where’s Hazel Irvine when you need her?
He holds his tray aloft to cheers and applause - no doubt there’ll be someone along in a sec to see if they can make him cry.
Here comes Ondee Muhraye...
It’s time for the presentation.
So, how does Murray go about sustaining his level? At his best he can compete, but he can’t sustain that best for long enough. Is it physical, mental or both?
Still, he’s still improving and has time yet.
Djokovic now has 12 slams to his name, and there really is a very good chance he’ll end with more than Federer’s 17. He’s basically a better version of his nearest rival and was barely bothered when he went behind today; basically, he’s forgotten how to lose.
Djokovic says it’s the best moment of his career, and that it’s nice to see the sun.
And poor Andy Murray just has to sit and watch while he laps it up. Perhaps if he’d taken that break point in the second set ... he’d still have been beaten. But if only he’d managed to play in the third set the way he played at the end of the fourth.
Djokovic draws a heart in the clay and Gustavo Kuerten, whose trademark he asked permission to borrow, wipes a tear from his eye. This is quite ridiculous achievement, and what’s incredible about it is the manner in which he played to clinch it. A set down to the closest man to him? No problem. He has absolutely wiped Murray off the court with a devastating display of power, touch, consistency and heart; we are privileged to be living in his time.
We may never see this again. <Insert succession of expletives here>
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 4-6 Djokovic*
A long rally and Murray nets a backhand!
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 4-5 Djokovic*
A clean-up forehand volley sets up another championship point! Advantage - every advantage - Djokovic!
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 4-5 Djokovic*
Murray sends a backhand cross-court, and Djokovic is wide with his down the line response! Deuce!
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 4-5 Djokovic*
Double-fault! 40-30!
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 4-5 Djokovic*
Djokovic is playing to the crowd now as Murray goes for a lob off the baseline and it’s long! Two match points!
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 4-5 Djokovic*
And Djokovic does it again! Murray plays another lovely drop-shot, only for Djokovic to glide into another response, bacon slices across the net. 30-15.
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 4-5 Djokovic*
Again there’s a chance for Murray on the backhand, but with the court open down the line, he hits the net. 15-15.
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 4-5 Djokovic*
Djokovic dictates the rally but then Murray puts everything into a backhand cross-court, and it’s enough! 0-15.
Fourth set: *Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 4-5 Djokovic Djokovic isn’t having this, he is not having it at all, and a backhand down the line forces Murray to simply get the ball back into play. He does, and Djokovic does. But Murray responds as the crowd get behind him, a big serve unlocking the point, and then another forces Djokovic to net. Murray has found some consistency now! His service and forehand are firing and the pair combine to give him game point, but Djokovic isn’t letting him off the hook that easily, taking him to 40-30 and walloping a second serve. But Murray absolutely bases a backhand winner, and Djokovic will serve for it a second time - now in the knowledge that he might fail, and that Murray will be at him.
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 3-5 Djokovic*
And Murray gets a break back! The serve is good enough and the return is short, but Djokovic doesn’t do enough off the ground and Murray crunches a backhand cross-court pass into the corner.
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 2-5 Djokovic*
Double-fault. 15-40.
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 2-5 Djokovic*
Superb point from Murray, sending Djokovic nashing into the corners, finishing the point with a huge backhand. 15-30.
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 2-5 Djokovic*
Murray chases a drop-shot and with back and side, but somehow, Murray flicks it across the net. 15-all.
Fourth set: Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 2-5 Djokovic*
Service out wide to the forehand, venomous backhand into the corner. 15-0.
Fourth set: *Murray 6-3, 1-6, 2-6, 2-5 Djokovic Murray constructs a beautiful point, then goes long with the forehand winner he’s set up for himself. And it gets worse, when a decent serve simply allows Djokovic to find the line with backhand winner. Murray then goes wide with a improbable backhand down the line, around the net and back down the line, and he’s three double-break points down. You know what happens next. You know what happens next! Djokovic directs Murray around the court, then bangs a forehand down the line, and HE WILL SERVE FOR THE GRAND SLAM! THIS IS BRUTAL AND BEAUTIFUL!