THE end of the 77-year wait for a men's champion at Wimbledon means the shadow of Fred Perry will no longer hang over British tennis players.

The last British man to lift the trophy before Andy Murray did so three times from 1934 to 1936 – but never really won the respect of the tennis establishment, which collectively back then saw Perry as too working class, too brash, too competitive, even.

Murray had a similar struggle to win over some tennis fans initially, having to overcome the impression given earlier in his career that he was surly and liable to crumble when his form dipped in matches.

There is little doubt the vast majority have taken him to their hearts after his Olympic triumph last year followed up by the US Open and Wimbledon Grand Slam victories. There have been other contenders to break the Perry hoodoo, but Murray has seemed more likely to achieve the triumph.

Roger Taylor reached the semi finals in 1967 1970 and 1973. John Lloyd was a British number one but didn't make it past the third round.

It wasn't until Tim Henman's career in the 1990s that hopes began to rise.

A four times semi-finalist, Henman never got the credit he deserved, while Greg Rusedski, whose career coincided with Henman's, was never fully embraced by fans after switching his allegiance from Canada to Britain.

Fred Perry's son David, who was Fred's fourth wife Bobby's son and was adopted in 1953 by the star, congratulated Murray. "It's been 77 years.

"The legacy has been there but time goes on and I am thrilled that a British individual has finally won Wimbledon again," Mr Perry said.

Mr Perry, who lives in Arizona, said his father, who died in 1995, would have been proud to see Murray end the nation's long wait.

He said: "I think my father would have said, 'Do you know what, it's time for somebody else to have the title'.

"It has been a long time. It had to come, it was just a matter of time. It's great that Andy has done it.

"Andy is a great player. I watched the match. I am sorry it didn't go to four sets or five sets because you want a Wimbledon final to be fantastic.

"Andy has finally got himself mentally over the line and now who knows how many he can win."