You're my hero and you deserve a hug! Schoolboy's embrace with Olympic champion Andy Murray captures buoyant mood of the nation

• Won 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 on Wimbledon's Centre Court
• Victory came exactly four weeks after grand slam defeat to same player
• Had to settle for silver in the mixed doubles

Their embrace lasted no more than a few seconds. But a tearful boy of 11 innocently encapsulated the buoyant mood of the nation yesterday after witnessing Andy Murray become an Olympic champion.
Henry Caplan raced down through the stands at Wimbledon’s Centre Court to hug the tennis star after what turned out to be one of the best days of each of their separate lives.
But in that magic moment – captured on giant screens around the court and broadcast to the world – Britain’s feelgood barometer soared after a weekend during which the country, quite simply, went Olympics daft.

Over here, Andy! Henry Caplan leans forward to Murray asking for a hug

Happy to oblige: The tennis star can't resist the youngster's demand and holds him in celebration

Kisses all round: This one's for girlfriend Kim Sears, who cheered him to victory over Federer

For Murray, it was the moment he turned a dream to reality and sensationally added an Olympic gold to Britain’s astonishing medal tally.

 

For young Master Caplan, it was the opportunity of a lifetime to share in the glory of one of his top sporting heroes during a peak of national excitement over the Games.

...and this one's for the gold medal

One minute, he was sitting with his father in the dizzy heights of row Z. The next, he broke free to sprint down towards Murray and into the players’ box. ‘Give me a hug!’ he cheekily demanded. ‘Anything for my fan,’ said Murray, and readily obliged.
Yesterday as he waited for another glimpse of Murray and his other tennis hero, Roger Federer, he told me: ‘I was just so happy. I had to let him know. I’m his biggest fan and I didn’t want to miss my chance.’
His father Elliot, a 41-year-old furniture supplier from Blackmore, Essex, said: ‘I was hugging him at the end of the match because he was overwhelmed and crying with joy.
He said “get off me” and slipped out of my arms. ‘Next thing I know, he’s all over the telly screens giving Andy Murray a hug.’
Jumping for joy, punching the air in triumph, Murray ran back on to the grass to celebrate his prize.
Four weeks on from the moment he left Centre Court in tears, the 25-year-old champion-in-waiting had returned to take his revenge on arch rival Federer – and to stride spectacularly into the record books.
He declared his victory ‘the biggest win of my life’ and added: ‘I’ll never forget this moment.’

Flying the flag: Murray, draped in the Union Jack, proudly shows off his Olympic gold medal

Golden boy: Andy Murray's face is etched with unbridled joy as he clinches Olympic gold against Roger Federer

Winner: Murray slumped to his haunches as he contemplates his achievement

Murray won Britain its first gold medal in the men’s singles for more than a century, since the 1908 London Games.
Then he topped it up with silver alongside national sweetheart Laura Robson in the mixed doubles.

 

So it wasn’t hard to understand why the famously grumpy Scot managed to raise an ecstatic smile yesterday as he took a well-deserved share in this most glorious weekend in British sport.
He even had a stab at mouthing the national anthem – and willingly draped himself in a Union Flag after being presented with his first Olympic gong.
His victory was the latest in a succession of triumphs to lift the country’s spirits in a way that few anticipated before the start of the Games.
For just under two hours yesterday Murray was swept along on a wave of British support that started with a rousing welcome to Centre Court, possibly twice the decibel level of that raised for his Swiss adversary.

Net gains: Murray looks to he heavens after beating Federer 6-2, 6-1, 6-4

Jumping for joy: The celebrations begin for Andy Murray

If volume alone could have won it for him, he would surely have finished in half that time. The cheering was more like Wembley than Wimbledon, and there was no doubt it helped to lift his game.

‘Come on England!’ someone shouted, causing a ripple of laughter that tickled even the Swiss. Another called out sarcastically: ‘We feel quite strongly about you Andy.’ 
Despite the ribaldry, however, few could have doubted they were cheering a future Wimbledon champion.
Yesterday Murray went in as the underdog and emerged as the victor, and there’s nothing a British crowd likes better than that.
Afterwards he immediately paid tribute to the fans, declaring: ‘The support has been amazing. The crowd are unbelievable.’
From the start of the match it was clear that Murray was on a high.
You didn’t have to know anything about tennis to work that out.
Watching his fist keeping a log of his successes and mistakes was enough.
He held it at chest level and shook it like Spanish maracas when he missed a shot; chin level, like a karaoke microphone, when he was pleased with himself; and high in the air when he triumphed.

Medal men: Murray shows off his gold with Roger Federer and Juan del Potro, who beat Novak Djokovic to claim bronze

British backing: There was plenty of home support on Wimbledon's Centre Court

Even if you weren’t well placed to monitor that, there was always the Judyometer. At the opposite end of the players’ box from his girlfriend Kim Sears, his mother sat motionless during his botched shots, but sprang to her feet to applaud his most spectacular moves.
Ditto Laura Robson, who spent much of the match sitting behind Mrs Murray, showing not a trace of nervousness in the run up to the big moment that would follow.

Joint effort: The Scot goes up into the stands to share his moment of joy with his girlfriend Kim Sears and his coaching team

A cuddle for Kim: Andy embraces Kim as he celebrates victory

Number one fan: Kim Sears watched on as Murray clinched the Olympic title at Wimbledon

Likewise, Murray seemed unusually confident. Sometimes even relaxed. Just over 35 minutes into the match, a return bounced tantalisingly on top of the net before tumbling over to his advantage. Four weeks ago the fist might have been punching the air to celebrate a vital extra point. Yesterday he simply chuckled.
Thirty minutes later, Team Roger unfurled a Swiss flag and draped it over the front of the players’ box. If it was meant to be a talisman it didn’t quite do the trick. With Murray in this form, Federer needed much more than luck on his side.
Out of sight of Centre Court, Murray Mount – formerly Henman Hill, formally Aorangi Terrace – was heaving with spectators. Some sat gently steaming in the sun that followed a huge downpour.

How disappointed they must have been to see pictures on the big screen showing small swathes of empty seats.

Basking in victory: Andy Murray enjoys his moment of glory after winning gold

Congratulations: Defeated finalist Roger Federer congratulates his opponent, while a young fan wanted a hug from his hero

By the time the scoreboard began to signal that Murray was looking unstoppable, Andy pandemonium broke out in the stands.

It could never match the cheers of 80,000 in that other stadium behind the clearly defined London skyline in the distance, but it was like nothing most people have heard at the All England club before.
Then came Henry. Mr Caplan paid just £260 for tickets for himself, Henry and sons Alex, nine, and Jeremy, 19. ‘I think you could safely say it was worth it,’ he said.
Speaking later about the hug, Murray told me: ‘I actually thought, because he was in Roger Federer’s box and he asked me for a hug... I didn’t know quite how to react. I thought maybe he was from Roger’s team.’

Focused: This time Roger Federer had no answer to Murray on Centre Court

Settling for silver: A dejected Federer contemplates defeat after losing a point

Was he pleased to have made a big fan out of a small boy? ‘That’s one of the reasons why the Olympics is so great,’ he said. ‘Everyone gets into them.’
Murray became the first British man to win the gold in singles since Josiah Ritchie in 1908.

As well as gold, Ritchie won silver in the men’s doubles and bronze in the men’s indoor singles.

His record stood untouched until shortly after 4pm yesterday.
But as Murray waits over the next 11 months for another crack at the Wimbledon title, he would do well not to be over confident. Ritchie lost the singles final in 1909.

Just missed out: Andy Murray took a second medal of the day in the mixed doubles with Laura Robson, but sadly he had to settle for silver

Bels of the ball: Belarus's Victoria Azarenka and Max Mirnyi celebrate with their relatives after winning gold in the mixed doubles

Ray of light: The sun came out for the men's tennis final