Murray v Djokovic: The race is on

With Andy Murray chasing down Novak Djokovic for the year-end world No 1 spot, we recall previous encounters between the long-time rivals.

When the Serb secured a sixth Australian Open title and a first at Roland Garros to become only the third man to hold all four Grand Slams at the same time, it looked like he would go on and dominate the rest of the season.

He was halfway towards a calendar Grand Slam, a feat only achieved by two men, Don Budge and Rod Laver, the last of which was in 1969.

But then his season unravelled while Murray’s took off with success at the Rio Olympics and Wimbledon.

When Djokovic was beaten in the final of the US Open by an inspired Stan Wawrinka, Murray seized his opportunity to chase down his arch-nemesis for top spot by winning back-to-back titles in China.

And now the two men could well be on another collision course as we head towards Paris and London.

Djokovic holds a 24-10 win-loss record against the Scot and has lost only three times in their last 16 meetings dating back to the Wimbledon final in 2013.

Here, we delve into the archives and look back at their most memorable matches.

2011: Australian Open, final, Djokovic won 6-4 6-2 6-3

Having lost to Roger Federer the previous year and in New York two years earlier, Murray was looking finally to prove he could cut it in a Grand Slam final.

The Scot’s wretched record in major finals continued, however, as he went down in straight sets to an inspired Djokovic, who began the season by winning 43 consecutive matches and ended it with three major titles.

“Djokovic not only broke the Nadal-Federer stranglehold on the game’s major trophies, the 23-year-old Serbian made a compelling case to be admitted to their elite company,” said the Sydney Morning Herald.

2012: Australian Open, semi-final, Djokovic won 6-3 3-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-1 7-5

Murray had the perfect opportunity to exact revenge on Djokovic the following year in Melbourne, and he almost did it during an epic encounter that lasted four hours, 50 minutes.

Having just appointed Ivan Lendl as his coach, Murray fought back from losing the first set to win the next two, but defending champion Djokovic recovered to clinch victory and give Murray the unwanted tag of being the first man in the open era to be eliminated in semi-finals at four successive Grand Slams.

2012: London Olympics, semi-final, Murray won 7-5 7-5

Just a month after suffering a heartbreaking Wimbledon final loss to Roger Federer, Murray enjoyed what was then his finest run and it came on the All England Club grass, beating Djokovic to guarantee himself a medal at his home Olympics. Murray lapped up the attention from the raucous crowd before going on to exact revenge against Federer in the final to win gold.

2012: US Open, final, Murray won 7-6 (12-10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2

Murray ended Britain’s 76-year wait for a Grand Slam men’s singles champion following an epic victory that took four hours, 54 minutes to achieve.

The Scot sank to his knees and covered his mouth in disbelief at what he had achieved following four failed attempts to win a Grand Slam final.

“When I realised I had won, I was a little bit shocked, I was very relieved and I was very emotional,” Murray said after recovering from letting a two-set lead slip away to win in five.

2013, Australian Open, final, Djokovic won 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 6-2

Djokovic underlined his physical superiority as he recovered from a set down to win in four sets and become the first man in the Open …

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