Summary

  • Djokovic wins 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-0

  • Djokovic leads head-to-head 18-8, winning the past seven meetings

  • Serb is now five-time Miami champion, Murray has won title twice

  • Murray climbs to third in the world despite defeat

  1. Postpublished at 21:28 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Andy Murray has his wedding next Saturday to look forward to now.

    James Corden, Tim Henman and Sue Barker are all rumoured to be on the guestlist.

    I wonder which of that little trio will be first on the dancefloor.

    Like the British number one, we are all done with tennis for now. Today's report is up on the site. See you next time.

  2. Postpublished at 21:19 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Andy Murray and Novak DjokovicImage source, Getty Images

    Rafael Nadal left Miami admitting that his confidence was pretty much shot.

    Novak Djokovic leaves in something approaching the best form of his life.

    Who is your favourite for the French Open, where Nadal has won nine titles and Djokovic none, now?

  3. Postpublished at 21:15 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Novak DjokovicImage source, Getty Images

    Orange tickertape streams into the air as Novak Djokovic lifts the trophy. Andy Murray copped a faceful of the litter as he stood next to the victor on the podium. I'm not sure he appreciated that.

    Despite both players paying tribute to the other in their speeches, they barely exchange a glance, let alone a word, as they pose for the photos.

    It's only amateur psychology, but relations between the pair seem decidedly cool.

  4. Postpublished at 21:11 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Novak Djokovic: "I want to thank my team for hanging in there through good and bad times. Thank you Mr Boris for joining the club. This is one of the best tournaments on the calendar with lots of options both on and off court and I hope it continues for many years to come."

  5. Postpublished at 21:09 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Andy Murray: "It has been a good start to the year for me so far. I'm not quite there where Novak is at, but I feel I am getting there. I just need to keep working hard. I want to thank the crowd for the atmosphere on court here, sorry I couldn't make more of a fight of the final set. My legs were just hurting and I couldn't quite do it."

  6. Postpublished at 21:06 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    This is a court Andy Murray knows so well he claims he can anticipate every little spit and pop depending on where the ball lands.

    These were conditions that traditionally Novak Djokovic struggles in.

    And still Djokovic was too strong, mentally and physically, for Murray to get close to.

  7. Game, set and matchpublished at 21:02 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Is that a hint of nerves?

    Novak Djokovic loses the first point as his serve goes a little screwy and then misses with his first tee-off at 0-15.

    Murray, playing with the freedom of a condemned man, then summons up a supreme backhand pass to work up 30-40 and a break point.

    Djokovic knows the code to get through the door to the winners' enclosure though. He works Murray over, spraying shots to either wing to see off the danger.

    A press to the net and a backhand punch volley hammer the final nail into his victory.

  8. Postpublished at 20:56 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Novak Djokovic will now serve for a fifth Miami Open title and a seventh successive win over Andy Murray.

  9. Djokovic breakspublished at 20:55 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Well, this has got out of hand real quick.

    Novak Djokovic is suddenly eyeing up a bagel for dinner as he racks up 15-40. Djokovic won the final set of their Australian Open final meeting 6-0 remember.

    Andy Murray batters back those two break points but misses with his first serve on a third and then plants a backhand plum between the tramlines.

  10. Postpublished at 20:51 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Novak Djokovic shows no sign of budging his heel off Murray's jugular. The Serb compounds his break with a solid hold, Murray barely laying leather on his opponent's serve.

  11. Djokovic breakspublished at 20:49 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Andy MurrayImage source, Getty Images

    A double break and that is the sort of fracture that usually means the amputation of a final set.

    Andy Murray, perhaps still battling with the sun at the far end, is backed up to 0-30.

    A double fault rears its ugly head to leave him 0-40 and three break points adrift.

    For a while it seems that Murray's heart is beating to the Great Escape theme tune. His hitting is rock solid, Djokovic takes his foot off the gas a tad and before you know it the Scot has hauled himself to deuce.

    It is only a temporary bit of sanctuary though. Murray has to see off a fourth and fifth break point - Djokovic blocking a backhand volley long on the latter.

    Murray has Djokovic struggling at deuce, but plants his regulation smash into the net to set up a sixth. An awkward twitchy tug of backhand into the net follows and that might, very well, be that.

  12. Get involvedpublished at 20:45 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    keith-downie:, external cant say enough about the fitness of Andy and Novak #incredible

    Debbie Macrae:, external Always in awe of tennis players but this match is relentless come on Andy

  13. Postpublished at 20:38 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    A zinger of a backhand down the line buys Andy Murray passage to deuce. That is the least he will have wanted having led 15-30.

    The Scot is ushered out of the game by a moment of magic from Novak Djokovic though.

    Djokovic reached around the corner to play an astonishing angle as he chased back to reach Murray's prodded response to his drop-shot, bringing the crowd to their feet.

  14. Djokovic breakspublished at 20:32 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Can Andy Murray finally get the Novak Djokovic monkey off his back after six successive defeats to the Serb?

    Murray is going to have to beat him for the first time after losing the opening set if so.

    And from a break down in the decider for good measure.

    Djokovic fetches three successive Murray smashes from the back of the court to bring up advantage and break point, but is then blasted out of the next rally with a pair of dynamite backhands.

    That was gutsy hitting from Murray. But he can't repeat the trick on a second break point, straying into the net.

  15. Postpublished at 20:24 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Novak DjokovicImage source, Getty Images

    An interesting defence from Novak Djokovic. He argues that the umpire could not have understood what he said when he bellowed towards his box at the conclusion of the set.

    The umpire claims that the way Djokovic shouted - at about 100 decibels, bristling with anger and about a foot from the face of a ballboy - was enough to merit the warning.

  16. Murray wins second setpublished at 20:21 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    What a point.

    What a game.

    What a final set in store.

    Andy Murray with a superb shoulder-high swat half-volley lands right on the line for 0-40. Three break and set points. And Murray takes the first with another fine winner, hitting a purple patch right when he needs to.

    Djokovic meanwhile gets a talking-to from the umpire for his angry response to losing the set.

  17. Postpublished at 20:17 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Novak Djokovic throws so much into a forehand at 30-15 down that he is about three foot off the floor as he hits it and loses grip on his racquet as he returns to earth.

    The ball ends up in the net as well. 40-15.

    Hang on. A pair of the patrons behind Murray's serving arm have decided now is the perfect time to beat the rush for hotdogs.

    Once the ball gets into play, Djokovic rolls Murray over with a lovely one-two punch, drawing him in with a tickled drop-shot and then hammering away a winner into the open court.

    And now Murray gets a warning for taking too much time over his serve. The pressure needle is creeping north...but Murray gets the job done, luring his man long.

  18. Postpublished at 20:09 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Andy MurrayImage source, Getty Images

    Andy Murray's turn to get irritable as he builds a couple of decent points, but buries volleys into the net.

    Forty-love to Novak Djokovic, but a slammed backhand return winner and a double fault give Murray a sniff.

    A sniff is all he gets through. This set could be heading the same way as the first - we are bound for tie-break territory.

  19. Postpublished at 20:05 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    This is getting catty.

    Novak Djokovic's hackles are raised after the crowd give him a mocking "ooh" for his furious reaction to missing an overhead on the opening point. Djokovic responds with something less than complimentary in Serbian.

    Andy Murray trundles to 40-0 with Djokovic apparently still sulking, before the Australian Open champion takes out his frustrations on a second serve, walloping a clean winner.

    Two can play that game though. Murray closes out the game with a ram-jamming serve out wide the Djokovic can only wave on through.

  20. Get involvedpublished at 20:00 British Summer Time 5 April 2015

    Hashim:, external My friend is at the stadium and he tells me it is scorching hot out there. I think it's beginning to affect the level of play.

    Fissuh H Kelelom:, external Come on Andy. Phisically Andy looks stronger but mentality Novak is unbeatable.

    Aidan Williams:, external Decent set so far from Murray. getting better and better. Becoming cautiously optimistic.