Wimbledon 2012

He will do it soon.  

Gosh, Ms Newsome, there was I thinking that all you dispensed was the milk of human kindness ....

I don't think so gel, he was just a gameshow host, and I think he may well be dead now.

Oh! Murray!! Nahhhh. No Chance.

There wasn't a dry eye in the PP household. That post-match Barkering has shown a different side to Murray.

On reflection, in a week or so, he'll know, apart from tying Federer's boot laces together, what he needs to do. I've never experienced such support for an individual.

Federer is different class. I don't think any player could live with that...  

Well, well, what a game. The quality of the tennis was up there with anything in history, just a slight shame it was disjointed by the rain break and we didn't get a fifth set.

The Murray of the first 1.9 sets would beat pretty much anyone. The Federer of the last 2.1 sets likewise. The challenge for Murray is to keep that level for even longer, but that's so tough against someone with the skills and the finals experience of Federer. Both rethought their strategy after the rain break and both came up with the same solution - take the ball earlier, go for more winners, shorten the points. Federer was able to implement it marginally better and able to step up the pressure at the key points. The 20min game in the third set was clearly the key - who knows what would have happened if Murray hadn't slipped when that lob went up and had won the game. He didn't, and in the fourth set he missed too many first serves, the pace of Federer's ground strokes went up and his dropped.

There are two huge positives to take from this. (i) This is Murray after only 6 months of Lendl. The US Open is Murray's favourite surface and he'll have a few more months of Lendl's influence. (ii) Beyond that, there is more time to improve. The fear 2 years ago was Murray had to win soon as players were winning grand slams younger and younger and new men would be coming up behind the top 4. But at the moment no younger men are challenging the hegemony, and at 25 Federer has shown that Murray has at least 5 years left. In that time, Federer's star will have waned, Nadal has knee problems and Djokovic has shown himself to be fallible. If he stays injury free, Murray will make many more finals, at least one a season, and have better chances of winning, especially with the addditional mental toughness Lendl will give him.

And a word for Federer. What a champion. We're very lucky as Brits to have Murray to watch, but we're even luckier as tennis fans to have Federer to watch, the greatest tennis player of all time. His movement, his touch, his finesse; some of his points were perfect grass-court tennis. More records set for him today, and he fully deserves it. Cute twins as well 

Massively disappointed for Murray, but I'm looking forward to the slams over the next few years 

That was a remarkable interview, what an erudite and polite guy even when subjected to emotional turmoil. Could he be a grand slam final losing winner of BBC Sports Personality, a la Greg Rusedski?

Murray played ever so well and it may have been a different outcome had he not had to play so many points off of his second serve to such an amazing player as Federer still is.

I enjoyed every minute of that match and don't think I have ever watched a tennis match williing a player to win every point as I did today, well done Murray... great entertainment   

Murray is definitely still improving for me, and he fitness has gone to another level again.  I have always thought he would get his first slam on hard court, and still see that the case.  And agree with the rest - good tournament for Murray, and at times I did think he could play better, so hopefully his first slam may come at the US open.

I never thought I would EVER say that Rusedski had a personality,  but compared to Murray he had a huge personality.  The BBC really need to rename their annual sporting award because there have been too many non-personality winners and a Murray win would plumb new depths.

Still he has far more chance of winning the BBC thing because he will always be a nearly man.  He just does not have the backbone that true champions have, when it really matters he just hasn't got it.  A shame but there it is.

BenLaw wrote:

Well, history made tonight, and a British winner of Wimbledon Congratulations to Marray and Nielsen

Yes, what a win! And by the way the first Wimbledon title for Denmark ever!

We have been cheering for Wosniacki, and you for Murry, and instead along came Marray and Freddie. Who would have thought that just a week ago

Question for all you tennis fans.

I watched 20 minutes of the final on Sunday, the first tennis I’ve watched in donkeys years. What has happened to serve and volley?
Were both finalists only back court players or are the service returns now too good or do we have some other reason?

10-15 years ago, with Sampras, Ivanisevic, Krajicek, Rusedski, Phillipoussis et al, the powers that be felt the game was overly dominated by serve, points were too short and matches too dull. Various changes were made over a few years to try and slow the game down - fluffier balls, less inflated balls, longer, different grass. This achieved what was wanted: there are fewer aces and generally the ball is easier to return. So serve volleyers are more easily passed and it is not a successful tactic over the course of a match. Actually, in the final you saw a lot more net action than in most matches, with Federer coming forward to break Murray's rhythm from the back of the court. 

TKratz wrote:

BenLaw wrote:

Well, history made tonight, and a British winner of Wimbledon Congratulations to Marray and Nielsen

Yes, what a win! And by the way the first Wimbledon title for Denmark ever!

We have been cheering for Wosniacki, and you for Murry, and instead along came Marray and Freddie. Who would have thought that just a week ago

Congratulations indeed, especially to Denmark for their first ever title.

Brilliantly put, if I may say so.  It was a privilege to watch.  Not under-estimating Murray's contribution, mind you, but the better man won.