THE great and the good had all turned up to see if Andy Murray could do it: could he reach his third Wimbledon final? Murray saved the first set point with an accurate, low drive into the corner but was helpless on the second when Federer drilled a return to his feet which the Scot could only nudge into the net.
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Murray, the Scotsman and 2013 Wimbledon champion, was a threatening opponent, five years younger and with a home crowd behind him.
“I was fighting as hard as I could”, Murray said.
The star match between Federer and Murray finished 7/5, 7/5, 6/4 to Federer. Swinging the momentum his way?
The day belonged to Federer, as it nearly always does here. All three sets went pretty much with serve, although it was Murray that struggled to hold serve and ultimately got broken late in each set. And that, essentially, was that.
LONDON A year after Andy Murray’s reign as Wimbledon champion ended lamely at the hands of a man dubbed the new Roger Federer, he got a stark reminder on Friday that the original is the real threat to his grand slam ambitions.
One more win would make Federer the first man with eight titles at The Championships, as the grass-court tournament first held in 1877 is known around these parts. Centre Court fell silent, half-bewitched by Federer’s gilded play, but at two sets down most of the divided crowd readying itself to mourn Murray’s defeat.
He’d lost just two matches since February, both to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, and crowned his promising build-up with a record-equalling fourth Queen’s Club title. Greater than he has played in years.
Djokovic, who beat Federer in last year’s final, had earlier swept into his fourth Wimbledon final with a ruthlessly efficient 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, 6-4 victory over Richard Gasquet. “I faced a break point in the first set”. When he was broken right away to begin the second, any suspense about who would win dissipated.
Djokovic was twice treated by a trainer on his left shoulder near the end of the second set against Gasquet. “It will be fine for the next match”, he said.
Had Murray somehow managed to steal that set, seven-times Wimbledon victor Federer may have suffered some inner doubts but before he even had time to catch breath, he was serving again at 5-6 and the Swiss pounced, winning a sensational 18-stroke rally.
“I served a very high first-serve percentage, plus going big”, said Federer, who beat Murray in the 2012 Wimbledon final but lost to him a few weeks later in the Olympic final on the same court. And Federer brushed off that break point as easily as he would brush a piece of fluff from his sleeve. However, the 28-year-old defended his decision to receive serve after winning the coin toss.
Federer fired 11 aces, 23 winners and committed just three unforced errors. I don’t need to explain a whole lot to you guys. “That was the difference”. The final two sets were a walk in the park for the world number one, despite Djokovic’s typical dramatics. The second-seeded Swiss served as well as he ever has, saving one break point in the opening game of the match and never facing another the rest of the way against one of the best returners in the game. “Definitely one of the best matches I’ve played in my career”.
Federer and Murray each used the word “unbelievable” to describe their terrific exchanges. “It really depends on your preference”.
Momentarily, it felt significant when Murray took that game, and the fans got their loudest. “A shame I couldn’t keep it up”.
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It will be Federer’s 10th semifinal appearance at the All England Club. Federer is the oldest finalist since 39-year-old Ken Rosewall in 1974.
