ANDY MURRAY was a few months old when Rick Astley hit No 1 with “Never Gonna Give You Up”.
On baby daughter Sophia’s first Father’s Day, and with Astley in the crowd, Murray made tennis history after refusing to throw in the towel in against Milos Raonic.
The British No 1 was a set and a break down to the super-serving Canadian.
But Murray recovered brilliantly to win 6-7 6-4 6-3 and so become the undisputed daddy at Queen’s, the first player ever to win the title five times.
Not that rehired coach Ivan Lendl was there to see him lift the famous trophy, having won his own coach v coach duel with John McEnroe, Raonic’s consultant.
Murray laughed: “It was nice of him to stick around for the presentation.
“It’s been a good first week back together.”
Lendl no doubt wanted all the focus to be on Murray after his historic triumph, which took him past seven fellow four-time winners, a list of tennis greats which includes McEnroe.
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Murray said: “Normally John is in the commentary box telling us what we should be doing better.
“Any time you can do something a little bit better than him, it’s an amazing feeling.
“Not that I’m comparing myself to him!
“But to win here for the fifth time means a lot.”
It was always going to be a match of fine margins and it turned on the closest of calls.
In the first 12 games, the server lost only 13 points. And in the tiebreak, it was Raonic who held his nerve.
When the world No 9 broke Murray in the second game of the second set and raced into a 3-0 lead, things looked as ominous as the greying skies.
Raonic had now won 55 service games in a row, with no-one able to break him for the whole week.
But Murray then took that amazing serve three times in four games to turn the match on its head.
He needed a little help from Hawkeye in the crucial fifth game of the second set. Twice Murray challenged a line call and twice Raonic’s shot was shown to have been out by a tiny margin.
But how Murray made him pay.
Having waited a week for a break of the Raonic serve, two came along in a matter of minutes and Murray was 4-3 up. Soon it was a set all and game on.
Raonic took his time with a toilet and new shoe break but the tide had well and truly turned.
Murray broke him again in the opening game of the decider, playing a sublime break point.
Raonic kept fighting and saved four match points, but Murray was not to be denied.
One of Britain’s greatest ever sportsmen has now won one of tennis’ oldest and greatest tournaments more than anyone.
A second Wimbledon title is very much in his sights.
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