Andy Murray might ‘never’ watch Wimbledon triumph

THE final that enthralled the nation will surely be the subject of DVDs and television documentaries and books in the months and years to come, and yet the hero at the centre of it all revealed yesterday that he had no intention of watching his historic match with Novak Djokovic in full in the near future – and may never do so.

“I don’t like watching the matches,” said Andy Murray, the darling of the sports nation and now the subject of fevered speculation about him becoming Sir Andy because of his exploits at Wimbledon. “I watched my whole match against Djokovic at the Olympics the night before the final but that was just to get some tactics and stuff. I knew that I’d won against him on that court before but I won’t watch the whole final back.

“I’ve seen the last game (the rollercoaster ride that eventually, after dizzying drama, saw him close out the final 6-4) but I won’t watch the whole match. I don’t know about never watching it again, but certainly not while I’m still playing and maybe never.”

Murray was also asked about the end of year BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards which he traditionally does not attend on account of its proximity to the Australian Open. The awards take place in December at which time Murray is in the midst of a warm-weather training camp in Miami which he sees as critical to him producing his best stuff in Melbourne the following month.

Murray is a roaring hot favourite to win the illustrious prize but, without presuming victory in the awards, he did not commit to changing his recent habit of staying away, which could raise all sorts of dilemmas for the BBC should their winner be given the award via video link. That is not the way they would want it to be.

Especially if Lennox Lewis is presenting it, as he did famously – and embarrassingly – last year when Murray made the podium. Lewis was frozen to the spot while awaiting direction in his ear-piece from a producer. The direction never came and Murray simply reached over and lifted his prize off the table, virtually presenting it to himself in a moment of high comedy.

“It’s a tough one for me because it’s December and I’m training in Miami and that’s one of the two times in the year when you get a proper training block,” he said. “That’s something I’ll have to talk through with my team because it’s such an important part of the year for me. Missing training could, potentially, cost me at the Australian Open. It’s so hot over there and conditions are so tough that you have to be as prepared as possible.

“Winning Wimbledon means most to me. It’s something I worked extremely hard for and the awards that come afterwards are just icing on the cake.”

Murray restated that he was determined that his life would not change as a result of his Wimbledon victory. “It depends on the way you look at it. I’m sure things will change, there will be a few more demands on my time and extra bits and pieces I will have to do, but in day-to-day living I don’t see what’s going to change.

“I’ll still train with the same people, I’ll still have the same family and friends around me and so long as I can keep it like that then I’ll be good.”