Scottish Andy Murray will travel to the upcoming Beijing Games with a renewed conviction in his game as he claimed his first career Masters title after defeating Novak Djokovic at the Cincinnati event on Sunday.
Murray needed two hours and 22 minutes to claim his second consecutive win in weeks over the Serb with a grueling 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) victory.
"I'm taking a lot of confidence from this win, you expect to get that after winning your first big tournament, and to do it in a match like today makes it more special," said Murray, now with three trophies this season.
"I put in a lot of work off the court to be able to win these sorts of tournaments, and it makes it all worthwhile."
Last week, Murray changed tactics and beat Djokovic in the quarterfinals in Toronto, his first career win in five matches against the 21-year-old Serb.
"It's different when you play against an opponent who plays a similar game with you," Djokovic said. "He was making me do a lot unforced errors."
"He was playing a lot of slice and changing pace to my forehand. I just lost the rhythm today."
Murray made fewer errors and put himself in position to close it out in the second set. Up 5-3, he got four match points and failed to convert any of them.
Murray then found himself down a break point, which Djokovic converted after five deuces to climb to 4-5.
The Serb, who had snapped Rafael Nadal's 32-match unbeaten streak in the semifinals, was unable to keep consistency against the determined Murray.
Murray, who rose to a career-best sixth in the world on Monday, will compete in the men's singles and doubles with his brother Jamie in the August Games.
The Olympic tennis event will be held between Aug 10-17.
(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2008)