Murray beats Djokovic to win Cincinatti Masters

Andy Murray won the biggest tournament of his career here last night with a 7-6, 7-6 victory over the Serbian Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati Masters. The Scot battled punishing conditions, as well as a richly-talented opponent, to clinch the victory and is now expected to reach a career-high in the world rankings today.

He is expected to go as high as sixth when the latest ratings are released and he believes that is a reward for a growing maturity in his game.

"I got very nervous and he was hitting the ball really big but I hung in well. It was tough for both of us and there were a lot of long rallies. Your legs really burn out there and they were some of the hardest conditions of the year. But I stayed calm throughout and didn't waste any energy – especially when I went behind in a couple of matches," he told Sky Sports. "In the past maybe I'd have let that get to me but now I'm playing top players on a regular basis and I'm better equipped."

He added: "It's huge because to win these tournaments is tough nowadays. I've played five days in these conditions and had eight or nine matches in the last couple of weeks. But I've put in the physical work and it's paid off."

Having already seen off Sam Querrey, Dmitry Tursunov, Carlos Moya and his semi-final opponent Ivo Karlovic to reach his first Masters Series final, Murray then claimed his biggest scalp of the tournament.

The opening stages were dominated by the servers, but there was plenty of baseline jousting between the 21-year-olds.

Nervy play from Djokovic allowed Murray to reach deuce four times against the Serbian's serve in the fifth game. He had advantage after hustling Djokovic around the court on a hard-earned point, but the game eventually went against the Scot. However, he was soon back on deuce in his opponent's next service game.

Again he established an advantage, which was saved thanks to a daring drop shot from Djokovic, and once more Murray missed out. He held his nerve in later games though and Murray, due to represent Great Britain at the Olympics later this month, moved closer to a new career high by taking the set after taking a commanding 5-1 lead in the tie-break.

Murray, wearing a baseball cap to prevent the sun taking its full effect on a warm day in Cincinnati, needed to keep the pressure on at the start of the second set. However in his second service game he gave Djokovic three break points.

He saved the first with a cross-court forehand and the next with a crushing shot from the same flank, but on the third Murray went long with a backhand to concede the advantage in the set at 2-1 down. Djokovic was unable to capitalise immediately though, and Murray broke back in the very next game. Murray got the better of his opponent's serve again in the eighth game of the set, breaking to 15. At 5-3 he was one solid service game away from the title, but Djokovic showed his survival instincts, finally producing his best tennis to break Murray once more.

Murray saw four championship points slip by, and the growing confidence of his opponent suggested at that stage that he might live to regret not taking any of them.

He forced Djokovic to serve to stay in the match at 6-5 down, and at 0-30 Murray was again closing in on the title, but soon the pair were into another tie-break.

An early mini-break went Murray's way, and was soon wiped out. Another came his way, but again was lost. Murray then won a magnificent ninth point of the tie-break with a devastating backhand across court which wrongfooted Djokovic, who immediately double-faulted again to fall 6-4 behind.

Djokovic won the next point on serve, but Murray made no mistake as he served again for the title, as a bludgeoned backhand raced past his higher-ranked opponent.

Speaking on court after receiving his winner's trophy, Murray said: "We've known each other since we were 14 and to think six or seven years ago we'd have been playing in finals like this would have been unbelievable.

"I've really enjoyed this week and I'm looking forward to coming back next year and defending my title."