LONDON, Aug 5: Britain’s Andy Murray completed an astonishing recovery from last month’s Wimbledon heartache to thrash Switzerland’s Roger Federer and claim Olympic gold on Centre Court on Sunday.

Exactly four weeks after Federer had beaten him to take a 17th Grand Slam title on the same court, reducing Murray to tears in the process, the Scot returned with an army of flag-waving fans to demolish the world number one 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.

With the din shaking the tennis citadel to its foundations, Murray clambered into the seats to embrace his girlfriend, parents and coaching team before sprinting back to the hallowed turf, leaping into the air as the crowd went wild.

“This is the biggest win of my life,” world number four Murray, who is still to win a grand slam title, told the BBC.

“This is the best way to come back from the Wimbledon final ... I felt so fresh.”

Earlies, Venus and Serena Williams became the first tennis players to win four Olympic golds after a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Czech pair Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka in the women’s doubles final.

The Williams sisters had already won doubles gold at the Sydney Games in 2000 and Beijing in 2008, while Venus claimed the singles gold in Sydney and Serena won her first individual gold on Saturday after crushing Maria Sharapova in the women’s final.

The Czech pair saved two match points before Venus secured the victory with a backhand volley, hugging her sister in celebration.—Agencies