Murray’s monumental moment was magic

I never thought I would blog about tennis, I can’t say I look forward to it, enjoy it or particularly care for the sport.

But today at about 5.10pm, I got it, I understood why the game matters to so many and why we as Brits should cherish a young man from Dunblane who opened the door and let the ghosts of the past out to finally be at peace.

Andy Murray is Wimbledon champion, the first man since Fred Perry in 1936 (77 years ago), the first Brit since Virginia Wade in 1977 and on 7/7 – who said 7 wasn’t lucky.

To put the wait in context, there has been a World War, countless Prime Ministers and US Presidents and yes...HM the Queen was still Princess Elizabeth since we last won at Wimbledon.

But now a new page has been turned, Fred Perry and countless valiant British men have been released, a British man won in SW19.

Tears were shed, sporting moments kind of do that to me, and an apology is forthcoming. For I was one of many who slagged Murray off in the past because I never thought he would do it and would just be an angry young man.

However, the angry youth turned into a champion – and a man England, Wales, Ireland and most definitely Scotland should be very proud of – sorry Andy!

The fact a man from Dunblane reached such heights on July 7 was extra poignant given the awful tragedies which befell the Scottish town and the events eight years ago today.

Murray is a former pupil at the Dunblane school where Thomas Hamilton took the innocent lives of 16 children and a teacher in 1996.

And eight years ago today, terrorists took the lives of 52 people in London in a co-ordinated set of attacks which were designed to change the way we live and make us live in fear.

We didn’t and for the first time I get the impression that we in Britain might just love this sporting champion!

The horrors in Dunblane and on July 7 2005 will never and should never be forgotten, but what Murray has done is at least make his hometown known for something other than tragedy.

And July 7 2013 will be remembered for triumph and British people coming together in celebration, I can’t think of a better way to stick it to terrorists than that.

Well done Andy, Britain thanks you!