Triple-Double Trouble

All that glitters is not gold, they say. But when Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray face each other, the phrase could be reversed: They’re proof that, in men’s tennis today, all that’s gold(en) does not glitter. Djokovic vs. Murray, as they showed again by pushing each other around the court for two hours and 46 minutes at Crandon Park on Sunday, is lung-busting, meltdown-inducing hard work. These two guys don’t bring out the worst in each other, exactly. They just drive each other a little nuts.

The rivalries between the ATP’s Big 4—Djokovic, Murray, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer—have defined the tour’s decade-long Golden Age. Of those match-ups, though, Djokovic vs. Murray has always had less contrast and less edge than the rest. Stylistically, they’re both efficient counterpunchers, so their points don’t have a built-in give-and-take. Emotionally, the duel between these two contemporaries, each of whom will turn 28 next month, lacks an Oedipal, or Fedipal, edge.

It has also, since Murray had back surgery in 2013, ceased to have much of a competitive edge. Coming into Sunday’s final, the fourth they’ve played in Miami, Djokovic had won six straight matches over Murray, and nine of their last 10. As well as Murray had played this week, it was difficult to imagine a repeat of his straight-set victory over Djokovic in the 2009 Miami final.

What we got, when all was said, screamed, and done, and after Djokovic had emerged a winner, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-0, was something like a repeat of their Australian Open final from two months ago. As he did in Melbourne, Djokovic edged Murray in a tiebreaker after a see-saw first set, and then served him a bagel in a runaway third set. Once again, Djokovic, the game’s resident Gumby, was stretched to the breaking point; once again, he bounced back into shape when it mattered most.

“It was brutal,” an audibly winded Djokovic told ESPN’s Brad Gilbert a few seconds after the match. “I was prepared for a physical battle, but it’s one thing to prepare, and another thing to experience it on the court. Overall it was a great battle.”

It wasn’t pretty, but there was a lot to this match. From the beginning, both men wanted to change the status quo between them and move forward. This gave the rallies a higher degree of urgency than normal; it wasn’t just a war of attrition. There was also a psychological urgency to the proceedings, as tempers flared in the heat. Both men screamed at their teams, and were warned by the chair umpire. The difference, as it often is, was that Djokovic’s screaming fits were a way for him to let out his frustration and move on, while Murray’s negativity bred more negativity.

Djokovic was also persistent in his attack, even in the face of failure. He was just 13 of 24 at the net, his overhead was shaky at best, and he lost 13 break points, but when he shifted back to a more aggressive stance at the start of the third set, the match swung in his direction for good.

“I was expecting very long rallies,” Djokovic said, “and I just managed to play the third set the way I was supposed to. I wasn’t feeling that great on the court. He was making me work, and I was doing the same.”

“I always have belief, even though it’s frustrating at times,” Djokovic concluded, still breathing hard. “I don’t have much energy left.”

As for Murray, he played close to the baseline, went after his forehand return, drove his backhand rather than floating it, and also came in as often as he could. When he won the second set by breaking at love with a backhand return winner, it seemed that his efforts might pay off at last. Yet in the end he succumbed again to Djokovic’s superior versatility and stamina, and to his own, energy-sapping verbal tirades. In both Melbourne and Miami, Murray put himself in a position to take the lead, but when he couldn’t do it, he went away completely.

As it was in Melbourne, the turnaround was sudden and jarringly thorough. After breaking to win the second set, Murray reached deuce on his own serve in the first game of the third. He tried three overheads, but Djokovic returned them all. Finally, Murray drilled a forehand volley into the net. When he dropped a backhand limply into the net at break point, Murray slumped toward the sideline. According to Gilbert, as he crossed the net Murray yelled toward his trainer, “I’m done. Nice job!” He wasn’t exaggerating; he didn’t win another game.

Murray has always disputed the notion that showing more positive body language on court would help him. And he has had plenty of success despite all the moaning. But on Sunday, his negativity looked like it sapped his strength and reinforced his mistakes. It also seems to have become habitual against Djokovic. Murray began the match by barking several, uncharacteristic “Come on!”s, but they didn’t lasted long. Against Djokovic, Murray believes in his chances up to a point, but when that belief is tested, when Djokovic fights back, he reverts to form and lashes out at himself again.

In Murray's defense, that’s about all anyone can do against Djokovic these days. By the time the clay-court season is over, Djokovic will be 28, an age that has signaled the start of some great players’ declines. After watching Djokovic win 12 straight matches in the U.S. over the last month, though, it’s hard to imagine when, of even if, that word is going to apply to him.

With this title, he becomes the first player to complete a spring hard-court triple-double: He’s now won Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back three times. This used to be considered one of the toughest tasks in tennis, and it should be getting harder as the game gets more physical. Yet we’ve come almost to expect it from Djokovic. The final today was lung-busting hard work, but the achievement is a glittering one.