QUEEN'S CLUB, London -- For 55 consecutive service games this week, Milos Raonic was both an unstoppable force and an immovable object.
A set and a break up in Sunday's final, he looked like crashing Andy Murray's party until suddenly an inspired world No.2, with some incredible returning, broke him twice.
It was just like the common refrain about London buses: you wait all day for one and two come along at once.
It was Murray's turn now to look invincible. The Scot pulled himself back from the brink of defeat --something he is making a habit of -- to seal a stunning 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3 win and a record fifth Queen's title.
Amid the celebrations on what turned out to be an historic first Father's Day for him, there was a jeroboam of champagne and fist bumps for Jamie Delgado, fitness trainer Matt Little and physio Shane Annun in his players' box. But where was his coach Ivan Lendl?
"It was nice of him to stick around for the presentation," Murray said with a smile during his on-court interview amid the presentation ceremony, to uproar from a packed Centre Court. "Obviously a good first week back together."
Murray later revealed Lendl simply needed the toilet, and watched the celebrations from the balcony. Still, their second spell together is off to the perfect start.
The relief etched on Murray's face said it all when Raonic dumped the ball in the net on match point after two hours, 13 minutes.
"It was great coming out here trying for fifth title," added Murray. "I was really motivated. I was frustrated at a set and a break down. But I started to return better and my serve worked very well the last couple of sets."
Murray becomes the first five-time winner at this tournament, overtaking -- among others -- the man sitting in his opponent's box: John McEnroe.
He joked that "any time you can do something just a little bit better than someone like him, it's an amazing feeling". The American smiled - perhaps with gritted teeth -- as he watched on.
"I'm not comparing myself to those players," added Murray. "I'm aware he's achieved way, way more than me. But to win here for the fifth means a lot."
Lendl also had the bragging rights in his first contest as a coach against familiar foe McEnroe.
The two met 36 times as players with the Czech settling their head-to-head 21-15, but their rivalry was no more than a sideshow here -- suitably, both men wore an incognito outfit of cap and sunglasses as if to underline the point.
Raonic showed all of McEnroe's influence with his improved ability at the net, and, on this week's evidence, the American seven-time Grand Slam winner has surely made his new charge a Wimbledon contender.
"It was a lot of fun to play here, my first time playing Sunday on grass," Raonic, who is set to return to his career-high world No.8 ranking next week, said in his on-court interview. "Hopefully I can have a rematch a couple of Sundays away."
Raonic abruptly corrected one reporter in his press conference who light-heartedly suggested he may have been "slightly joking".
"I wasn't joking," he said with a stony face. The smile soon returned. "No, I would like to be there on a Sunday at Wimbledon. That would normally mean something significant. If it's against Andy, it's a great thing."