NO MORE DJOKING AROUND ... Andy Murray is desperate to beat Novak in Oz
Published: 2 hrs ago
ANDY MURRAY used to be the painfully pale kid with the mop top haircut.
The Brit and Novak Djokovic were born just a week apart and came through the ranks side by side.
Their journey on the road to tennis immortality started together.
But when the Serb looks into the Scot’s eyes this morning in the Aussie Open final, he won’t see a little skinny upstart.
Instead he’ll come face to face with a British Mean Machine fresh from brilliantly seeing off Roger Federer and straining at the leash to give the world no1 another Grand Slam final beating.
Murray rocked the Djok at the US Open last September — and he’s scenting blood again.
With Rafa Nadal crocked and Fed in the twilight of an amazing career, these two 25-year-old’s are on the march and set to dominate tennis for years to come.
Djokovic smiles when he casts his mind back to their junior days.
The world No1 said: “We have known each other since we were 11 and that adds something special to our rivalry.
“What was he like back then? I know he had a lot of hair — a lot of curly hair.
“He was quite pale too. But I think over the years training in Barcelona he got some sun.
“He has more of a tan now than when he was a junior.”
The heat is well and truly on — but both these racket warriors can cope.
Murray, just like Djokovic, has an engine most Premier League footballers would die for and the kind of fierce desire only the greats have in their locker.
Just like their gripping, gruelling five-set semi-final here last year, today’s showdown at the Rod Laver Arena will be brutal and blistering.
Murray popped pills before bed-time and knows his limbs will creak for a while when he wakes up.
But the Brit No1 is determined his third Melbourne final will finally be one to remember.
His whippings at the hands of Federer in 2010 followed by a similar thrashing by Djokovic a year later were utterly forgettable.
The Murray of 2013 though, with Ivan Lendl in his corner, is more tuned up for the fight than ever before.
Friday night’s win over the Swiss 17-time Grand Slam winning legend emphatically said as much.
The Scot, impressively gearing up for his third Slam final on the spin, added: “What Novak did a couple of years ago by going unbeaten for five months set the bar and what Roger and Rafa were doing for five or six years always set the standard.
“It’s been up to everyone else to catch up and I think I’ve done a good job for the last year or so.”
Lendl, old stoneface himself, is more than happy with his protege.
They have enjoyed a brilliant first 12 months together — Olympic gold being quickly followed by Flushing Meadows glory.
The Czech legend said: “Yes I’m very proud of him, how he dealt with Roger.
“I think it has to do with preparation though. If you feel you’re strong and you don’t feel like you are going to run out of gas it’s a lot easier to deal with that than if you feel I’ve only got four more games in me or something.
“We have learned about each other and understand each other better. I think that would be the case in any team, in any relationship, that you would do better after a year.”
Djokovic epically showed in his fourth round five-hour slugfest with Stan Wawrinka that when it comes to running opponents into the dirt, there are few better.
Murray knows it will be a pain game and whatever happens, history beckons.
The Brit is aiming to become the first man in the Open era to follow up a first Slam with an instant second.
For the Serb, he’s aiming to become the first modern player to bag three Aussie Open triumphs on the spin.
The super Scot said: “After playing five sets like I did against Roger I will try to sleep as late as possible. Until 1 or 2pm if I can but you never know with the adrenalin.
“Your body clock will dictate when you get up and I will practice very little, maybe 20-30 minutes maximum. Ice bath probably after that and then a massage.
“I’ll do a lot of stretching. Go to the pool in the morning and do some stretching in there. Probably have some pain killers at some stage.
“That always helps. For sure I’ll take some pain killers in the evening before I go to bed, more anti-inflammatories.
“I feel fine. But when I wake up in the morning you’re sore, that’s why you have the guys around you to make you feel as good as possible.
“Provided I can recover and get myself as healthy as possible for Sunday it should be a good match.
“The last few months have been the best of my career.”
Let’s hope it’s about to get a hell of a lot better.
