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Emotional Murray says sorry to British fans

MELBOURNE - An emotional Andy Murray choked back tears as he apologised to British fans for failing to win the Australian Open and claim the nation’s first Grand Slam men’s title in 74 years.

The Scot was left wondering what may have been after he was unable to serve out the third set in the final against Roger Federer when leading 5-3.

He again squandered five set points in an agonising tie-break on his way to losing to the Swiss champion in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (13/11).

The 22-year-old appeared composed in the moments after the match, even sharing a joke with Federer ahead of their speeches, but when called upon to say a few words it quickly became clear how desperate he was to win his maiden Grand Slam.

British tennis fans and media had hoped Murray was the man to end their Grand Slam drought stretching back to Fred Perry’s US Open in 1936.

Such was the interest in the match that four major British papers sent their chief sports writers across the globe just for the final to join a record number of British journalists covering the event.

It has now been 279 Grand Slams since the Perry success and Murray knew how much it meant back in Britain.

“I had great support back home and I am sorry I couldn’t do it for you tonight,” he said as his voice cracked and he battled to hold back tears.

“I can cry like Roger, it’s just a shame I can’t play like him.

“He was a lot better than me tonight.”

Murray, who is confident he is closing in on his maiden Grand Slam title, said he was not weighed down by British expectations in the final.

“I didn’t feel it on the court,” he said.

“You get a lot of good luck messages, everyone wishing you well from back home and that’s obviously nice.

“But once you get on the court, it’s not what you’re thinking about at all.”

Murray also lost in straight sets to Federer in the 2008 US Open final.

The fifth seed became the first player to lose his first two Grand Slam finals in straight sets since Frenchman Cedric Pioline, runner-up to Pete Sampras in the 1993 US Open and at Wimbledon in 1997.

Pioline never managed to a major title.

Murray was playing in his 17^th Grand Slam, the point at which Federer broke through for his first title, and the Swiss had some consolation for him in his acceptance speech.

“Andy, you played an incredible tournament. You are too good a player not to win a Grand Slam, so don’t worry about it.”