zara phillips Photo: It should have been me: Glum Murray skips Wimbledon for a pub lunch

Monday, July 4, 2011

It should have been me: Glum Murray skips Wimbledon for a pub lunch

By Paul Harris and Emily Andrews

Dejected: Andy Murray is left to reflect on what might have been during his glum pub lunch with girlfriend Kim Sears

This probably wasn’t the kind of get-together he had in mind for Wimbledon finals weekend.

While Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal prepared to slug it out on Centre Court, Andy Murray sat disconsolately outside a pub dreaming of what might have been.

The 24-year-old Scot and his girlfriend Kim Sears had a quiet, two-hour lunch near his Surrey mansion, accompanied by his divorced father Willie and companion. Murray sipped a soft drink from a pint glass and buried his head in his hands from time to time.

And if the talk was of tennis then it certainly didn’t show.

The only stroke he demonstrated was a backhand – to swat away a wasp getting too close to Kim’s face. Meanwhile in SW19, yesterday’s was a scintillating final with all eyes fixed on the tennis. All eyes, that is, save for those of former Chancellor Nigel Lawson.

The 79-year-old appeared to nod off for the first two sets, prompting amusement in the Royal Box as his chin continually dropped on to his blue paisley tie.

But he woke up in time to see Djokovic defeat the defending champion in four sets.

After the winning shot, the 24-year-old Serb sank to his knees and, in a bizarre celebration, picked and ate some of the Centre Court grass.

Animal instinct: Novak Djokovic tucks in on Centre Court

Celebration: Djokovic sinks to the floor in triumph after his win over defending champion Nadal

Savouring the moment: The Serb laps up the adoration of the Centre Court crowd moments before his bizarre grass eating

Shows of support: Djokovic's beaming girlfriend Jelena Ristic was close to tears after the Serb's win, while Nadal's girlfriend Maria Francisca Perello, right, also watches on

Champion: Djokovic kisses the Wimbledon trophy

Moments after sealing his four-set triumph over defending champion Rafael Nadal, the Serb sank to his knees and raised his hands to the skies in celebration.

Then seconds later he glanced down, quickly plucked a few blades of grass from the hallowed Centre Court turf near the net, and popped them in his mouth.

The 24-year-old's surprise 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 victory confirmed Djokovic's place at the top of men's tennis, and he was clearly determined to enjoy the moment.

Asked why he decided to chew on the Centre Court grass to mark the win, Djokovic said it was a 'spontaneous' decision.

He said: 'I felt like an animal, I wanted to see how it tastes and it tastes good.
'It came spontaneously, I didn't plan to do it. I didn't know what to do to express my excitement and joy.'

Djokovic cannot be blamed for wanting to soak up every second of his shock Centre Court win.

The victory, which gave the Serb a third Grand Slam title, ended Nadal's 57-week stay as world number one and was also the Spaniard's first defeat at Wimbledon since the 2007 men's final.

Having amassed an extraordinary 48-1 match record this season, Djokovic pledged that he will keep adding to his collection of the sport's major prizes.

'I will definitely come back for more Wimbledons, more Grand Slam trophies,' he said. 'This is what I was born for, to be a tennis champion. I will definitely not stop here, even though I have achieved the biggest things in my life.

'I managed to make my dream come true, my lifetime goal. It's an incredible feeling.'

Dieting tips: Mrs Murray offered her own unique weight loss advice on Twitter

Success: Winner of the Men's Single's title at Wimbledon Novak Djokovic arrives with his partner for the Champions' dinner at the Intercontinental Hotel, Park Lane, London

Last night his girlfriend Jelena Ristic, 24, said: 'I'm very proud of him. The match was really, really exciting.'

Asked about her boyfriend's grass eating, she said: 'You know what, winning Wimbledon was his dream so it was a really big thing.'

Djokovic's abundant self-belief was the difference between the two players and he drew heavily on having already beaten Nadal in four finals in 2011.

'I had that always at the back of my mind. I was trying to take myself back to those matches and really perform the same way, be aggressive, take my chances, not give him an opportunity to take control.'

Nadal, who had won 10 of his previous 12 Grand Slam finals prior to this, was brutally honest about how Djokovic has got to him.

'When one player beats you five times it's because my game doesn't bother him a lot,' he admitted. 'I have to find solutions. I didn't play as well as previous days, he played better. When I arrived at 5-4 in the first set I played a bad game.

At 4-3 in the fourth set I played a bad game.

'I need to be a little less nervous at these times, play more aggressively and be confident. If not, I'm going to be here explaining it for a sixth time.'

There was one British victory to cheer at Wimbledon yesterday. George Morgan, 18, won the boys’ doubles with his Croatian partner Mate Pavic.

As for Murray, he is expected to take a short break to get over his disappointment.

But might he have another prize in his sights? His mother Judy is reported to be encouraging her son to marry Kim, whom he has been dating for six years. And older brother Jamie reckons tying the knot would be good for his game.