ANDY MURRAY US OPEN CHAMPION: THE GRAND SLAM THAT FINALLY WAS

It had long been written in the stars. “If you write a script, that is the way to have won it,” gushed an emotional John Lloyd, former British number one, when 25-year-old Andy Murray won the US Open, his first ever grand slam, on Monday, September 10.

It was a fitting description as Murray had to fight hard till the last shot of a thrilling five-setter to beat Novak Djokovic, the defending champion, 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2 in a pulsating four hours and 54 minutes of breathless tennis on Arthur Ashe Stadium. With his hard-fought but thoroughly deserved victory, Murray also became the first British man to win a tennis grand slam title since Fred Perry 76 years ago.

At some point, especially in the first two sets, it was almost as if the wind gods and his tennis shoes conspired to ensure Djokovic didn’t deny Murray his first grand slam hurrah. “Murray picked a heck of a way to win his long-elusive first major. Monday night's win over Djokovic was epic in the truest sense, a wild, five-set odyssey that featured swings of momentum, obstacles, acts of God, redemption and, finally, triumph,” wrote Jon Wertheim, of Sports illustrated, summing it up nicely. Like his coach, 52-year-old Ivan Lendl – eight-time grand slam winner - whom he hired on December 31, Murray had to wait until his fifth grand slam final to emerge victorious.

"I'm getting closer,” Murray had said, in between tears, in that gut-wrenching Wimbledon final defeat to Roger Federer, the world number one. In that match on July 8, Federer ran away with a 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-4 to secure a record-equalling seventh Wimbledon title and 17^th grand slam title. A month later, on August 5, on the same court, Murray defeated the same Federer 6-2 6-1 6-4 to win the London 2012 Olympic gold. He also clinched silver in mixed doubles with fellow Brit Laura Robson after they lost in the final to Max Mirnyi and Victoria Azarenka.

Finally, on September 10, at Flushing Meadows, Murray achieved his dream, by winning his first grand slam title. In the end it was worth the wait as he now joins the elite league of grand slam winners and also moved up to number three in the world tennis rankings. He is also the first man to win both the Olympic singles title and the US Open in the same year. 

“I am just so relieved to finally have got there and I can put this one behind me and hopefully win more,” said a delighted Murray after the match. Only a few would doubt the potential of a man who’s finally conquered history to become a grand slam champion.