Murray wins second Wimbledon title

Andy Murray has cast aside Milos Raonic in straight sets to become the first British man in 81 years to win two Wimbledon singles crowns.

Murray outclassed Canada’s first-time major finalist 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(2) in Sunday’s title showdown to add a third Grand Slam trophy to his collection after also reigning at the All England Club in 2013 and at Flushing Meadows in 2012.

The comprehensive win repeated his Queen’s Club final victory over Raonic and capped a perfect summer reunion with supercoach Ivan Lendl.

The Scottish world No.2 won his only two previous slams – plus an Olympic gold medal – under Lendl’s charge before splitting with the former world No.1 two years ago.

But with Lendl back in his box, Murray is 12 from 12 on grass and the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to hold the Wimbledon trophy aloft on multiple occasions.

“It’s the most important tournament for me every year. I’ve had some great moments here and some tough losses,” Murray said.

“So the win feels extra special because of the tough losses, so I’m proud to have my hands on the trophy again.

“I played really good stuff today.”

Once again thrilling delirious home fans – including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge watching on from the front row of the Royal Box – Murray’s triumph also comes ninth months after the local hero led Britain to its first Davis Cup title in 81 years.

Even the usually poker-faced Lendl shed a tear and Murray admitted he’d savour this win more than 2013 after enduring “so much stress and pressure” to break the nation’s drought three years ago.

“I didn’t get to enjoy it as much so I’ll make sure I enjoy this one tonight,” he said.

Contesting his 11th major final – but first not opposing Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic – Murray had too much steel for the Canadian sixth seed, whose nervy net game in particular failed him in tennis’s greatest stage.

Murray grabbed the only break of the match in the seventh game before racing through the second-set tiebreaker to seize total command.

Not since Henri Cochet beat fellow Frenchman Jean Borotra in 1927 had any man recovered from two sets down to win a Wimbledon final.

Further highlighting the magnitude of the challenge Raonic faced, Murray’s only defeat in 125 Grand Slam matches from two sets up came on his All England Club debut against David Nalbandian back in 2005.

He certainly wasn’t about to let up on Sunday.

Unable to replicate his semifinal heroics against Federer, Raonic – Canada’s first-ever men’s major singles finalist – failed to convert either of his only two break-point chances of the match in the fourth game of the third set.

Opportunity lost, Murray again stepped up in the tiebreaker to finish off the sixth seed after two hours and 48 minutes.

In joining all-time greats Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, Lendl, Raonic’s coaching consultant John McEnroe, Jim Courier, Djokovic and Federer as only the eighth man in the open era to reach the first three Grand Slam finals of the year, Murray also avoided being the first to lose all three.

Djokovic denied the Scot in Melbourne and Paris and the 29-year-old’s victory after eight Grand Slam finals losses to the world No.1 and fellow tennis titan Federer will come as a huge relief.