When Andy Murray steps on to the Centre Court for Sunday’s final against Roger Federer, he will be the first English men’s player to do so since Henry ‘Bunny’ Austin in 1938. He will certainly hope to do better than Austin because he was dispatched in double quick time by Don Budge, one of the greats. Murray will be facing a player who is at least as good and who has won six of these championships.
Murray was very good in the first two sets against Tsonga, serving and returning brilliantly. He then grew hesitant as the third set began. Tsonga got some time and room to play his big flashy shots and he swept through the third set. Murray pulled himself together and went up a break in the fourth only o let Tsonga back in by dropping his serve. It now looked increasingly obvious that Murray had to win the match in the fourth set as Tsonga was bringing his powerful, athletic game increasingly to bear. But Murray was not to be denied and a break in the eleventh game was all he needed to seal the match. It must have been of some relief to his coach Ivan Lendl, who had himself come so close so many times without actually winning the Championships and would be hoping to get some vicarious satisfaction from his protege going on to take the title.
Tsonga was all praise for Murray after the match, saying that Murray did not give him much chance in the first two sets, by which time it was probably too late to make a comeback
But Roger Federer has other ideas. He despatched Novak Djokovic in four quick sets in a match that was not really close. In an after match interview, Djokovic admitted to having had some bad practices the past two days. Certainly, he was not his usual self, making errors he would never have made on another day. But part of the reason was Federer and his razor sharp serving and returning. He has been at his best in the past two matches and it will take a special effort from Murray to derail the Federer Express.
Federer considers the Centre Court as his domain and will relinquish it reluctantly. Murray, who carries the expectations of the host country on his shoulders, will have the home crowd behind him and yet will have to bear the pressure of making history should he win.
The Bryan brothers are out of the doubles, beaten in the semifinals by the British/Danish team of Marray and Nielsen. The latter have formed a highly effective partnership and Marray and Murray could conceivably provide England with the unheard of two Wimbledon champions in one year. But Roger Federer has been there many times, has done it all and is still hungry for more.
Prediction? King Roger to take the final over Murray in four sets!