Even with two rain breaks, Murray had still completed the task in good time for those who wished to get away in order to beat the tube strike, which began at 6pm.
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Richard Gasquet came through a five-set thriller against Stan Wawrinka to reach his second Wimbledon semi-final on Wednesday. Eventually, after more than three hours, Gasquet won 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 11-9. He is back in contention to win any tournament. “I’ve got energy left in the tank for hopefully a great match with Andy”.
Murray’s patience was a virtue yesterday, not only when waiting in the locker room to be called back out for play to resume as frustrating showers passed by overhead. “I expect him to come out on the court in two days wanting to win”.
A brief rain interruption failed to disrupt Murray’s momentum and he had the final word in a frantic rally at 5-4, thumping down a smash, before serving out for a 1-0 lead.
“So I want to enjoy it and play better than in Paris”. So obviously it was always going to be tough.
“I’ve played Roger many times”.
“I am older for sure compared to 2007”.
Asked to pick a favorite, Djokovic said it was “50-50”.
“Roger’s obviously extremely popular everywhere he goes”, Murray said last night. “An incredible history of success in Wimbledon“.
Federer found himself in the unfamiliar confines of Court One in a Wimbledon quarterfinal, although that didn’t stop Rod Laver – the last man to achieve the calendar-year grand slam in 1969 – from taking a courtside seat.
In Federer’s box was actor and occasional Wimbledon visitor Bradley Cooper.
Frightful for Simon yes; but the 11,000-strong chorus of “oohs” and “aahs” that greeted every one of Federer’s 36 winners told its own story. But, once again, Murray came up trumps when it counted.
Now the Dunblane star is on a collision course with Federer again at SW19 after admitting his defeat last time out to the 17-time Grand Slam champion was “embarrassing”. “I never had a chance”.
The 29-year-old Frenchman reached his second All England Club semi-final – eight years after his first – with a 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 11-9 victory over fourth seed Stan Wawrinka on Wednesday.
Murray never lost serve, saving the one break point he faced, and broke Pospisil three times and had only 13 unforced errors.
He had been 2-5 in fiveset matches coming into Wimbledon, but was 3-0 on the way to the quarters.
Three of the top four seeds are through to the semi-finals of Wimbledon and it is hard to predict who will be crowned champion on Sunday.
Pospisil, 25, fended off four break points with big serves and a fifth with a brilliant drop volley as Murray raised the pressure further in the third set.
“It was a very solid performance after a tough five-set match against Kevin (Anderson) in the fourth round”, Djokovic said.
Novak Djokovic holds an 11-1 edge over Richard Gasquet, including victories in their last nine meetings.
Conversely when Andy has won 27 per cent of first-serve return points he has notched up 71 per cent of sets played.
It was an entertaining, epic contest. “I have more experience”, said Gasquet.
Whenever Andy Murray walks onto Centre Court, he is accustomed to receiving unconditional support from the British crowd. I couldn’t do many games in that match.
Adding to his inferiority complex, Gasquet has only beaten Djokovic once in 12 meetings.
But unsurprisingly the Swiss still have a familiar face in the semifinals.
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The Murrays are the first brothers to reach the semifinals in singles and doubles at the same Wimbledon since John and Neale Fraser did it in 1962.
