BBC
Going to the back of the court to grab a towel before serving for the match was something Andy Murray had done hundreds of times before.
Never, in a triumphant career where he had won his first Grand Slam singles title less than a year previously, had his arm shaken uncontrollably.
This wasn’t just any match. This wasn’t just any final.
Murray was serving for the Wimbledon title.
The 26-year-old was serving for British sporting immortality, trying to end the 77-year wait for a home men’s singles champion, aiming to become the first winner since Fred Perry in 1936.
Championship point.
“When you look down and see your hand shaking, it doesn’t help things,” Murray remembers about trying to close out a straight-set win over Novak Djokovic.
Nervous energy was jolting through the 15,000 spectators on Centre Court, notably Murray’s girlfriend Kim, who watched with her hands covering her mouth, and his parents Judy and Will.
Expressions on instantly recognisable faces – including British Prime Minister David Cameron, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, England footballer Wayne Rooney, Spice Girl Victoria Beckham, Olympic hero Sir Chris Hoy and tennis legend Rod Laver – provided another visual narrative.
Exhilaration countered by unbearable tension.
The same emotions were felt around the country.
Thousands congregated on Henman Hill, by now rechristened Murray Mound, living every moment as the drama unfolded on the other side of Court One…
