Murray mania is buzzing again, and the latest Centre Court exploits of Sir Muzzard, as his former coach Brad Gilbert dubbed him, have prompted plenty of affectionate reminiscences about his maiden Wimbledon victory 10 years ago today.
The wait is over. Magical Murray. King Andy. History in his hands. Golden Boy. At last!
National newspaper headlines on the morning after July 7, 2013, captured the emotions of a nation that had roared, wept and simultaneously felt both incredible relief and an overwhelming thrill that Andy Murray had finally fulfilled his destiny.
Djokovic netted a shot - followed by mega roars and cheers on telly and in the pub - and then we had a bit of a party
But where were you at 5.24pm to register his feat on that sunny day in London SW19?
Carrie Stoneman was 14 when she first visited The Championships. "I saw Chris Evert the first time she played here. It was on the old No.1 Court and she beat Patti Hogan in the quarter-finals," said the Wimbledon resident, who was in the Hand in Hand pub on Wimbledon Common to watch Murray pitch himself against Novak Djokovic.
"The pub was rammed and there was a party atmosphere from the start," she recalls. "But I was wondering what Andy would do if he lost again, given the weeping speech the previous year.
"Then I recall, frankly, being impressed by him getting the first two sets before the seemingly never-quite-over-the-line final game. There was almost collective disbelief when he finally made it: Djokovic netted a shot - followed by mega roars and cheers on telly and in the pub - and then we had a bit of a party."
Wimbledon.com found Moira Knight from Hampshire picnicking on The Hill. She recalled making an occasion of the 2013 final at home with her husband, a glass of wine to hand as they sat in front of the TV. For her family, it felt like a job well executed by Andy.
"Our sons, Adam and Daniel, had been to Wimbledon in the first week and watched Andy win in one of the early rounds, so we had the sense of following him right through."
Sue and Mike Withy from the Wirral are dedicated Wimbledon pilgrims. Mike has been attending The Championships since 1971, and this week was Sue’s 10th visit, but they watched the 2013 final at home.
"It was fantastic. We had the grandkids clapping and cheering ‘Come on Andy’. We didn’t move. If the phone rang, we didn’t answer," Sue recalled.
"What we love about watching Andy is the quality of tennis, the way he mixes it up," added Mike, who likes watching Ons Jabeur for similar reasons.
As for Andy’s prospects this year? Mike is confident about a strong anniversary showing: "I can’t see him going all the way, but I could see him reaching the quarters, or even the semis, because he just loves playing here and the crowd always gives him the boost."
Being there for his win was one of the standout moments of my life
Charlie Kidd, 25, was lucky enough to be a spectator on Centre Court in both 2012, when Murray broke down in tears having lost so agonisingly to Roger Federer, and in 2013. There can be few people who had box-office seats for the full, nerve-shredding Murray rollercoaster.
"Being there for his win was one of the standout moments of my life," Charlie said. "I was very young, but I recall it so clearly. The tensest part was that I didn’t want to see him hurt again. Watching him crack up the year before left a big impression."
Midway up The Hill, we caught up with Tara Brickman and her husband Paul. The couple from Chorley in Lancashire clearly recalled the mood 10 years ago: "The tension had eased off a bit because Andy had won the Olympic gold medal, just a few weeks after that desperate loss to Federer. It seemed like a switch had flicked and his win had a nice inevitability about it."
Astrid Brown, on her second visit to Wimbledon, was happy to reminisce while standing in the Ticket Resale queue. "I watched the 2013 final in my flat in Cambridge. As I used to play tennis, and I’m Scottish, Andy’s win was a big deal."
Even before Murray had begun a classic comeback when a set down against Stefanos Tsitsipas on Thursday night, Kat Hall from Swansea confirmed he was the talk of the tournament. "There was a lot of discussion about Andy’s 2013 win in The Queue this morning. Everyone was saying they were so pleased he had pulled it off. I watched that final on the telly and it just felt like he deserved it."
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