No pressure Andy, just serve up more British sporting glory

Whoever is writing the script for Britain’s “greatest ever” summer of sport must have a soft spot for Andy Murray. The British number one has enjoyed more roles during the national passion play of the last few weeks than Sir Ian McKellen.

Transformed during July’s Wimbledon final from Mr Monotone to Mr Emotional, 25-year-old Murray then converted tears of defeat into tears of flag-waving delight in the Olympic final; his imperious deconstruction of Roger Federer’s game all the sweeter because of the heartbreak that had gone before.

Now Andy Murray stands, yet again, on the cusp of his first grand slam victory. His clash with Novak Djokovic at the US Open is his fifth appearance in a grand slam final. Of course he beat the Serb in straight sets on his way to Olympic gold last month in what he described as the “most fun” tournament he’s ever played in. So Murray is happy. So Murray is on a winning streak. So surely it’s time?

Winning the Olympics did take a bit of the pressure off. I maybe had less doubts about myself and my place in the game just now. Andy Murray

‘Big rivals’

“It’s obviously not easy to lose another slam final, so I hope this one is a different story,” Murray told reporters in New York.

He explained why winning gold at London 2012 was such a big moment, psychologically.

“Winning the Olympics did, for me, take a bit of the pressure off. I did feel a lot better after that. I maybe had less doubts about myself and my place in the game just now.”

More from Channel 4 News: Two Wimbledon finals in a day for Andy Murray

Djokovic, also 25, added: “Most of our matches were very close and only small margins decided the winner. That’s something that is expected in a way, because we have similar games. We are big rivals and we have been at the top of the men’s game for a long time, so we know each other really well.

“The last match he won at the Olympic Games. That was also a close one. But it’s a different surface. I guess there is no clear favourite.”

‘A lot more mature’

Murray has been here before. Not just the previous four slam finals but the junior event at the US Open which he won in 2004, aged 17 (pictured).

And Flushing Meadows has seemed the venue most likely to bring him a senior grand slam title.

He beat Rafael Nadal in a rain-affected semi-final four years later to reach the showpiece, but Federer and the occasion proved too much.

Murray said: “I’m obviously a lot more mature now. I have had a lot more experience in these sort of situations.

“It all came round very quick. After playing Rafa and going from Armstrong to Ashe and then playing the next day, it seemed to go by very, very quickly. I hope I deal with it better.”

World ranking

For the last few years Murray has been pushing at the door of elite men’s tennis; always in the mix but rarely the victor in a sport dominated by Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and now Novak Djokovic: three players who would have been tough to beat in any era.

But if Murray’s winning streak continues we may see soon him jousting for the world number one slot.

“I think it’s a big ask for Murray to finish number one in the world this year because he has three titles in Asia to defend in the fall, and Roger Federer is still the best indoor player in the world,” says Nima Naderi from Tennis Connected.

He told Channel 4 News: “For Murray to become number one, he’ll have to win at least two majors in the next year. Keep in mind as well that his points from the Olympics will drop off next summer too.”

But remember this is 2012, a golden year for British sport. Do they sell bunting in New York?