Andy Murray poses with the Wimbledon trophy next to a statue of Fred Perry, the last British player to win the same event in 1936, at the All England Club in Wimbledon, yesterday.
LONDON: Andy Murray said yesterday he was determined to push on from his historic Wimbledon win and add further Grand Slam titles to his achievements.
Speaking after a near sleepless night, Murray returned early morning to his press duties hailed as a national hero, having become the first British player to lift the famed gold trophy in 77 years.
His emotion-charged 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 win over top seed Novak Djokovic on a baking-hot centre court on Sunday left the 26-year Scot drained. Next up, he knows, will be the defence of his US Open crown in New York in September with the US hard court season set to kick in at Montreal in less than a month’s time.
“I hope I don’t lose hunger. I should be able to use this for motivation, the Scot said of his Wimbledon triumph.
“I know what it’s like losing in a Wimbledon final and I know what it’s like winning one, and it’s a lot better winning. The hard work is worth it. I just need to make sure I don’t get sidetracked by anything after the next few days. Yes enjoy it and celebrate, then go away, rest up and get ready for the US Open.
“I’ve never had to defend a Grand Slam before, that will be a new experience for me, and I look forward to that.”
Murray said that the whirlwind of media interviews and official duties as a Wimbledon winner had left him in a kind of a daze.
“No-one could really believe it and I was the same,” he said of his own feelings and that of his family and entourage.
“You don’t want to go to sleep in case you wake up and it didn’t actually happen. I was just messaging my friends and laying in bed. It was tough to get to sleep last night.
“I’m sure I will see some of the newspapers around. I’ve some of the back pages and front pages of the newspapers this morning.
“I know I won Wimbledon yesterday but what it actually means - I think that will take longer than 24 hours to sink in and understand it.”
Despite the win, his second Grand Slam triumph after the US Open, Murray will remain as world number two behind the Serb.
Replacing him one day as the top ranked player was something he aspired to, but Murray knows that will unlikely be this year as he cannot gain any points at the US Open as he is the defending champion.
“It’s a tough one for me because right now I’ve won two slams and been in the final of a third one and I hold the Olympic gold, and I’m nowhere near being number one.” he said.
“I don’t know exactly why that is. Maybe I need to be more consistent in the other events.
“Missing the French Open obviously didn’t help that but I would rather not get to number one and win more grand slams than never win another Grand Slam and get to number one.”
Murray’s historic win sparked immediate speculation that he would be awarded a knighthood by the queen for his achievement.
Prime Minister David Cameron, who watched the final from the centre court Royal Court, said that he could think of no-one who was more deserving of such an honour.
Asked about the possibility of a knighthood, Murray remained coy saying that he was not sure he was worthy of it.AFP
