Since then, Djokovic has won 18 career titles; Murray 16. Djokovic has the Australian Open trophy and was runner-up at the U.S. Open in 2007 and last year. Murray’s best Grand Slam results were runner-up at the U.S. Open in 2008 and the Australian Open last year _ he lost both to Federer.
“It’s been a great, well, childhood, if you can say, that we had together,” Djokovic said. “So it’s been a nice story, you know, about both of us. And to be able to meet him in a Grand Slam final, it makes it even more special.”
The two practiced together in Perth ahead of the Australian Open, and kicked the soccer ball around _ “he won, unfortunately,” Djokovic said.
Djokovic recalls Murray as a kid with big hair who was under media pressure even then as Britain’s best hope to win a major for the first time since Fred Perry in 1936.
The Serb has developed an off-court persona as a jokester, with comic impersonations of other players and a relaxed confidence that belies his on-court intensity. When an ATP official started a news conference on Saturday by mistakenly announcing “questions for Andy,” Djokovic made a joke out of it, pretending to storm out before retaking his seat and saying he didn’t know how he could work under such conditions.
Murray appears more stern, or at least serious. His reputation is for rebuking himself on the court and maintaining a cautious demeanor before the media. Asked to recall his early memories of his final rival, Murray said Djokovic developed a lot faster as a player, but says he’s caught up now.
As kids, they shared big dreams.
“I don’t think we were planning to meet each other, but we were dreaming of being in a Grand Slam final,” Djokovic said. “You could already feel at that stage when we were 12, 13, 14, that we both have a talent and we both have great motivation and mentality to succeed.”
But expect no quarter given by either of them on Sunday.
“We have to forget about all that when we step on the court,” Djokovic said. “It’s all business.”
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