Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray refused to use blisters and a leg complaint as an excuse for his loss to Novak Djokovic on Sunday.
Third seed Murray took the first set in a tie-breaker and looked the better of the two players during the early stages before Djokovic gradually worked his way into the match.
The two-time defending champion levelled the match at a set apiece after another tie-breaker and carried that momentum through to the end to seal a 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 6-2 victory in three hours and 40 minutes.
Murray needed treatment for blisters on his toe after the second set and appeared to struggle with a hamstring complaint from the third set onwards.
"It's just a pretty large blister which, I mean, you get them. The US Open final I had two black toenails. It happens often, especially when you're doing that much running," he said.
"When you're playing the points like we were there, the positions you're sort of getting yourself into on the court, you expect those sort of things.
"But, I mean, 90 percent of the players on the tour will have played this tournament with some sort of blister or problem. It had no bearing at all on the result. It just hurts a little bit when you run.
"When I played Roger (Federer) ... he had kind of like a low slice serve. I missed that and it (hamstring) kind of tightened up a little bit. It feels fine just now. It's just, yeah, a bit sore when you're running around.
"But that's what happens with fatigue. You get sore; you get tired. You don't feel perfect when you step on the court every single time.
"When you play the rallies like we did tonight along with the match with Roger, that's what happens. It's part and parcel of playing these big events against the best players in the world. With how physical the game is just now, that's just part of it."
Murray was left to rue a missed opportunity in the second game of the second set when he had three break points on the Djokovic serve.
He failed to convert and had just one more break point for the remainder of the match - in the fourth set - which was also wasted.
"I was getting like quite a few love-15s, 15-30s, love-30s, and I couldn't quite capitalise on my chances on his serve. That was a disappointing part," he said.
"But obviously when you go two sets to one down, you know you really need to get off to a good start the beginning of the fourth set because most of the guys at the top of the game, when they get a lead and momentum, it's tough to stop them.
"Like in the second set with me, I played a good second set. I created quite a few chances; didn't quite get them. But that was the difference."
Another crucial moment happened in the second set tie-breaker when a floating feather appeared to distract Murray between serves as he double-faulted to hand Djokovic the advantage.
"It just caught my eye before I served. I thought it was a good idea to move it. Maybe it wasn't because I obviously double-faulted," he said.
"At this level it can come down to just a few points here or there. My probably biggest chance was at the beginning of the second set; didn't quite get it. When Novak had his chance at the end of the third, he got his."