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Andy Murray had a meltdown, says Pat Cash

Australia’s former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has accused Andy Murray of collapsing in the latter stages of his Australian Open final defeat to Novak Djokovic.

After the first two sets were split in two hours and 32 minutes, Murray looked to be in command against an ailing Djokovic when he broke for a 2-0 lead in the third.

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However, from then on the 27-year-old Scot won just one of the next 13 games as a rejuvenated Djokovic raised his game to secure a fifth Australian Open and eighth grand slam title with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-0 win in three hours and 39 minutes.

Murray acknowledged in his post-match press conference that he was distracted by Djokovic’s fluctuating physical condition, and, during commentary on the BBC, Cash agreed this was the moment when it all started to unravel for the two-time grand slam winner.

“Things just started snowballing for Murray once he lost that concentration when everything was going his way,” the 1987 Wimbledon winner said.

“He hasn’t put up a great fight, he hasn’t. He absolutely collapsed. “Sorry but you don’t put a rose tint on this. He melted down, he’s been disappointing and the bottom line is, the situation got too much. “He has to look at it and say ‘I can’t do this again. What has gone wrong, what did I do wrong?’ It’s the same stuff that’s happened his whole career. “He needs to find the right balance, the right balance between attack and defence.

“He’ll be sat there thinking ‘what happened, what did I do, I’m a disgrace, I’ve let everyone down’, but he’ll learn from it.”

Murray has not beaten a world No.1 since defeating Djokovic in the 2013 Wimbledon final and Cash said he needed to stay focused if that is to change in the near future.

“He’s got to focus and look at why he had the meltdown,” he said.

“If he works on that part of his game then I can see him holding the Wimbledon trophy but he’s got to look in the mirror.”

After also succumbing to Djokovic in the 2013 and 2011 finals and to Roger Federer in 2010, the vanquished Scot is the first man in the open era to lose four title matches at Melbourne Park.

Murray ranting to himself at a change of ends. Photo: Getty

Murray ranting to himself at a change of ends. Photo: Getty

War-time great John Bromwich, a two-time winner of the event, is the only the other player in the 110-year history of the championships to lose four or more men’s singles finals.

Djokovic, meanwhile, has dismissed suggestions he was foxing injury, saying he suffered through a genuine “physical crisis” before putting Murray to the sword.

On several occasions, the Serb clumsily lost his footing and balance and was often gasping for air during the sapping encounter.

When he lamely dropped serve to fall behind 2-0 in the third set, the top seed looked down and out.

Djokovic, though, insisted his troubles were legitimate and he flatly dismissed suggestions of gamesmanship.

“I think everybody predicted, it was going to be a big battle,” Djokovic said.

“Very similar match to the Australian Open final in 2013 when we played over two hours (for) the first two sets.

“Tonight two-and-a-half hours (for) the first two sets. Very physical. Very exhausting.

“We both, of course, went through some tough moments physically. You could see that I had a crisis at the end of the second (and) beginning of the third.

“I just felt very exhausted and I needed some time to regroup and recharge and get back on track. That’s what I’ve done.”

Djokovic’s physical distress followed the controversy of several protesters being removed from Rod Laver Arena and two arrested for invading centre court and unfurling a pro-immigration banner.

Despite Murray’s latest Melbourne Park despair, the Scot will return to the world’s top four on Monday after slipping to as low as 12th last year following a tough recovery from back surgery in late 2013.

Murray thanked his oft-maligned coach Amelie Mauresmo for putting him back on track.

“We put in a lot of hard work to try and get back in this position after what was a difficult year,” he said.

“I’ll try and come back next year and hope to have a slightly different outcome in the final.”

– AAP

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