Australian Open 2016: Andy Murray eager for home comfort after Novak Djokovic’s demolition job

Murray hinted that the off-court dramas had affected his play during the post-match interview

Andy Murray (left) and Novak Djokovic battle it out at the Rod Laver Arena in the final of the Australian Open (Getty Images)

Andy Murray headed for the airport here last night to catch a flight home after the most challenging Grand Slam tournament of his life ended in what has become all too familiar disappointment at the Australian Open.

In losing 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 to Novak Djokovic, who underlined his continuing domination of the sport by winning the title for the sixth time in nine years, Murray became only the second man in the Open era to lose five finals at the same Grand Slam event. He shares the record with Ivan Lendl, who lost five US Open finals. However, the Scot’s former coach did also win the title three times in New York, whereas Murray has yet to taste victory here.

Defeat on the last day of a tournament always hurts, but Murray can feel proud of his achievement in reaching the final, given everything he has had to contend with in recent weeks. Murray’s wife, Kim, whom he has not seen for five weeks, is due to give birth later this month. Murray, who was always ready to return home early if she went into labour, also had to deal with the trauma of his father-in-law, Nigel Sears, collapsing during a match in the middle of the tournament.

Tears welled up in Murray’s eyes at last night’s presentation ceremony as he thanked his wife. “You’ve been a legend the last few weeks,” he said. “Thanks for your support and I’ll be on the next flight home.”

At his post-match press conference, which was conducted in a hurry as a car waited to take him to the airport, Murray added: “Regardless of today’s result, it’s been hard. Had I lost in the third or fourth round it still would have been difficult with everything that’s happened. Kim’s been amazing. She’s handled everything unbelievably well. I have to thank her for allowing me to play and stay here with everything that was going on. But it was tough.” He added: “I’m proud that I got into this position. I’m just looking forward to getting home now.”

Murray hinted that the off-court dramas had affected his play. “A lot’s been going on,” he said. “I started the last couple of matches quite slowly, I think, understandable in some respects. Obviously it’s not good to begin matches like that against someone like Novak.”

The slow start saw Murray trail 5-0 after just 19 minutes. Djokovic was immediately into his rhythm, while Murray did not get going until the penultimate game of the first set. Nevertheless, the second and third sets produced the sort of tennis we have grown accustomed to seeing from these two great rivals: pulsating rallies from the back of the court, great athleticism as big shots were repeatedly chased down and games decided by the tiniest of margins.

Murray recovered an early break in the second set and appeared in little danger when he served at 5-5 and 40-0, but Djokovic then broke serve by playing five points in a row which were close to perfection. At 40-30 they played a wonderful 35-shot rally – the longest of the whole contest – which ended with Murray putting a backhand wide. The point summed up the match, with Djokovic relentless in his accuracy and finally grinding down his opponent.

The third set went to a tie-break after Murray again retrieved an early break of serve, but the Scot never recovered after making two double faults in the first five points. Djokovic, in contrast, hit two aces, the second of them securing victory after two hours and 53 minutes.

“In the first set I wasn’t there, but the second and third sets I do think were very close,” Murray said. “I could have played a bit better. I didn’t think I hit my forehand as well as I could have done. When I did in the third set, that helped me out a lot. I was able to get myself into the net more. I was able to play more offensive tennis then.”

This was Djokovic’s 11th win in the 12 matches he has played against Murray since the Serb lost their 2013 Wimbledon final. It was also the fifth time in the last six years that he has beaten the Scot here, four of those victories having come in finals.

The ‘Big Four’ – Djokovic, Murray, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal – is rapidly becoming the Gang of One. This was Djokovic’s 17th win in his last 18 matches against top 10 opponents. Murray, in contrast, has lost 12 of his last 13 matches against players ranked No 1 in the world. Cruelly, the Scot will drop one place to No 3 behind Federer in today’s world rankings.

Djokovic’s 11th Grand Slam title ties him with Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver and leaves just four players ahead of him on the all-time list: Federer with 17 titles, Nadal and Pete Sampras with 14 and Roy Emerson with 12.

The world No 1, who has now won seven tournaments in a row dating back to last summer’s US Open, has won four of the last five Grand Slam events. His defeat to Stan Wawrinka in the final of last year’s French Open his only loss in Grand Slam play in the last 16 months. He has won every final he has contested here at Melbourne Park and has equalled Emerson’s record of Australian Open titles.

“I think I started the match very well,” Djokovic said. “I was very aggressive and just played the way I wanted to play against him and executed the game plan perfectly for a set and a half. I made a break in the second. I felt he was pretty neutral from the back of the court and was allowing me to take control over the rallies. I had more time.

“Then he started serving better. He came back to the match. The second set was decided in a few points, as was the third. I thought I maybe could have done better in my service games when I was up a break in the second and third sets, but credit to him for fighting and showing why he’s one of the best in the world.

“He definitely made me work. There were a lot of long rallies, long exchanges. We were both breathing heavily towards the end of the second and the third set. But that’s what you expect."