Andy Murray wins second Games gold

Andy Murray kept his historical summer chugging along in brilliant fashion in the Olympic men’s singles final, outlasting Juan Martin del Potro in a knock-down, drag-out four-set affair that ran over four hours and felt more like five and a half. I had back surgery since London and so many things can change – my ranking dropped and I’ve gone through some tough times off the court, so I’m happy that I’m still here competing for the big events.

“I do know tonight is one of the hardest matches I’ve had to play for a big title”.

Murray added the Rio title to his 2012 triumph and to his Grand Slam collection of the 2012 US Open and 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon crowns. It’s not really for me to say. Emotionally it was tough, physically it was hard.

Del Potro, who shocked world No.1 Novak Djokovic in the first round last Sunday, barely nudged past a rejuvenated Rafael Nadal in yesterday’s semifinal round.

But the Argentine not only eliminated Serbia’s world No.1 but also accounted for 2008 Beijing gold medalist Rafael Nadal in the semifinals too.

Del Potro, a bronze medallist in London four years ago, was inconsolable at the end, weeping as he sat courtside.

“Against Andy”, del Potro said, “you never know if you’re going to win your serve”.

“I am very satisfied with what I did the whole week”.

“I’ve been through some wonderful things here, on the court, at the Olympic village, talking to the people from Argentina. But I won’t get to enjoy it as much, as I’ve got to play another match in 48 hours, unfortunately”. But if I’m still playing in four years, when I’m 33, I don’t imagine I’ll be playing the same level as now.

Del Potro could be seen wiping away tears.

Played out against a background of deafening noise generated by a legion of passionate, screaming Argentine fans, Murray admitted the final had pushed him to the limit.

The fourth set saw Murray and del Potro tied at 3-3. It showed in the first two sets, with neither able to take full control and several error-strewn moments.

The inevitable dip in energy came with Del Potro serving at 2-3 in the second set, starting the game with two loose points from which he couldn’t recover.

Some exceptional defence and some awesome returns allowed him to break back for five-all in the fourth set, and two games later he was a double Olympic champion.

Del Potro played better off his serve in the second dropping just 10 points when he had the ball and he attacked the Murray second serve.

He appeared lighter on the podium, as he took his place between Del Potro and Nishikori, even with that gorgeous sphere of Gold draped around his neck.

The two men embraced at the net, hugging each other at the end of a marathon match.

Ultimately, Murray’s supreme fitness carried him through. The match in the final there was fairly straight forward in terms of the scoreline, whereas tonight anything could have happened in play, breaks of serve all the time, so many ups and downs.

The crowd on Centre Court were boisterous throughout, with plenty of Argentine support for Del Potro, although emotions did spill over near the climax when two fans were ejected. The only other country to win three medals was the Czech Republic, with bronzes from Petra Kvitova in singles, Lucie Safarova and Barbora Strycova in women’s doubles, and Lucie Hradecka and Radek Stepanek in mixed doubles.

The duo overcame Switzerland’s Martina Hingis and Timea Bacsinszky 6-4 6-4.

The 6-7 (7-3) 6-1 10-7 win denied Williams a record fifth gold.

In an all-American mixed doubles final Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock won the title as first-time Olympians against Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram.

But the silver means the 36-year-old matched the most medals won by a tennis Olympian, equaling the five held by Britain’s Kathleen McKane Godfree from the 1920 and ’24 Games.