Brilliant Murray Wins Davis Cup For Britain

Great Britain have won the Davis Cup for the first time in 79 years, after Andy Murray beat Belgium’s David Goffin in straight sets.

The Brits led the tie in Ghent by two matches to one, after Andy and his brother Jamie won Saturday’s doubles rubber.

Andy Murray in action
(Picture from iusbpreface.com)

That meant Belgium had to win both singles matches on the final day tie at the Flanders Expo Arena, however Goffin was unable to cause an upset and went down 6-3 7-5 6-3 to an inspired Murray in a gruelling 2 hours and 54 minutes.

Murray will no doubt claim the headlines and a Davis Cup triumph will help polish an abundant career which has seen him win two Grand Slam title and an Olympic gold medal.  

    

He hasn’t lost a match in the team completion this year and has been involved in 8 out of the 9 rubbers which Britain have claimed in 2015.

However it shouldn’t be forgotten that Britain were in the third tier of the competition when captain Leon Smith took charge of the team five years ago, and he along with many others have played a huge part in hurling the team back to the World Group.

James Ward’s victory over John Isner at the start of the year was key to beating the United States; Dan Evans won the deciding fifth rubbers against both Russia and Slovakia in group 1, while doubles players like Jamie Murray and Colin Fleming have also played a huge role among many others.

Even so there is no doubt that Murray’s commitment to the team this year has been the decisive factor, his dedicated performances have allowed Britain to conquer the other three Grand Slam nations in the USA, France and Australia on their way to the title.

He went into the crucial match against Goffin as the overwhelming favourite, despite the Belgian’s ranking of 16 in the world.

Goffin had to come back from two sets down on the opening day to beat Britain’s Kyle Edmund in a match he simply had to win, against Murray he played with more freedom and caused some early problems for the British number one in front of a packed crowd.

However it was Murray who made the first break though after saving a break point in the third game of the match.

He punished Goffin’s second serve whenever the opportunity arose and went on to take the first set by six games to three.

Goffin, who had also played the doubles on Saturday, didn’t go away and played his part in some exhausting rallies, the Belgian continuously tried to take the ball on the rise and forced Murray to play some of his best tennis.

The Brit made his move at 5-5 in second set breaking the Goffin serve before serving his way to a two set lead.

Murray served consistently throughout but lost his serve for the first time at the start of the third. That wasn’t enough to keep him down and Murray came back to break Goffin three times in the final set.

He sealed the win with a spectacular backhand lob, as Britain won their first Davis Cup since 1936.

Murray Draws Tie Level On Day One Of Davis Cup Final

Andy Murray made sure Great Britain ended day one of the Davis Cup final level at one match all, after beating Belgium’s Reben Bemelmans in straight sets.

Britain looked like they were heading for an unlikely 1-0 lead when Kyle Edmund, on his Davis Cup debut, went two sets up against the world number 16 David Goffin, but was eventually outlasted by the Belgian.

There were no such problems for Murray who, despite a tough third set against an inspired opponent, dispatched Bemelmans 6-3 6-2 7-5 after 3 hours of play.

Andy Murray in action
(Picture from i.guim.co.uk)

He and his brother Jamie will take to the court in tomorrow’s doubles rubber against, most likely, Bemelmans and Steve Darcis, as Britain bid to win the competition for the first time since 1936.

Murray had never faced the left-handed Bemelmans prior to this match and took the Briton a little while to adjust to his opponent’s unpredictable style.

Bemelmans did his best to unsettle Murray in the early exchanges and used a variety of astute drop shots and clever angles to keep the Brit off-guard.

However when it comes to cat and mouse exchanges there are few better in the game than Murray, and the Briton quickly turned the tables with some shrewd tennis of his own.

A single break of serve in the opening set was enough for Murray to take it in 34 minutes; even so the Belgian continued to play above his ranking of 108 in the world, which made for an entertaining encounter.

The score line remained one-sided in the Brit’s favour, but the second set took a prolonged 47 minutes.

Still that didn’t dispirit the Belgian who, to Murray’s frustration, broke the Brit’s serve for the first time in the match mid-way through the third set.

Murray received a point penalty from umpire Albert Ramos for letting out his frustration which was largely caused by Bemelmans’ powerful forehands and high risk tennis.

Murray broke back immediately but faced a set point at 5-4, which his opponent fired long. The Brit also came up against a hostile Davis Cup crowd who did their best to disrupt the world number two.

It took three hours of play but at last Murray go the job done and can now turn his attentions to tomorrow’s pivotal doubles match.

Goffin Puts Belgium 1-0 In Davis Cup Final

David Goffin rescued Belgium’s hopes in the final of the Davis Cup as he came from two sets down to beat Britain’s Kyle Edmund in five sets.

Edmund, who was making his Davis Cup debut in the final at the age of 20, made an exceptional start and outplayed his higher ranked opponent for over an hour.

Kyle Edmund in action
(Picture from e1.365dm.com)

Even so Goffin, ranked 16 in the world, showed his experience to turn the match around and win 3-6 1-6 6-2 6-1 6-0 on the clay court at the Flanders Expo Arena in Ghent, Belgium.

It was a match that the hosts had to win, with Andy Murray due to play in the next three matches of the tie for Britain. Goffin’s victory puts Belgium 1-0 in the final, with Murray due to play Ruben Bemelmans in the reverse singles.

Edmund got the nod over fellow singles player James Ward to play in the opening singles, after winning a challenger on clay in Buenos Aires two weeks ago.

The Brit, who is ranked 100 in the world, made the perfect start and after saving two break points in the opening game he raced into an astounding 5-0 lead.

Edmund’s heavy groundstrokes and potent serve helped him out power the higher ranked Goffin in the early exchanges.

The Belgian managed to spare some blushes as he recovered to 5-3 but it wasn’t enough to save the opening set.

Goffin’s nerves were clearly getting the better of him and the errors continued to fly off the Belgian’s racket.

Edmund continued to dominate and after breaking his opponent early in the second, he went on to claim a two set lead after a Goffin double fault.

however from there Goffin began to demonstrate some of the qualities which has seen him rise to 16 in the world, he began to claw his way back into the match which quickly turned in the Belgian’s favour.

He broke Edmund twice at the start of the third and despite conceding one break straight back he wrapped up the set moments later.

Edmund, who has only won one match at Grand Slam level at this year’s French Open, began tire, and his cutting shots which were finding their mark early on began to drift astray.

The Brit called for the trainer mid-way through the fourth set and things went south from there.

 Goffin’s confidence grew stronger and by the end of the match he was in full flow, he went on to win 12 of the last 13 games to give Belgium a much needed lead in the overall tie.

      

Djokovic Beats Federer In Masters Final

Novak Djokovic claimed his fourth successive ATP World Tour Finals title after beating Roger Federer in straight sets.

Federer had beaten Djokovic in the group stage earlier in the competition, but was unable to overcome the world number one for a second match running as he went down 6-3 6-4.

Novak Djokovic lifts the title for the fourth year running
(Picture from i.guim.co.uk)

The triumph capped off a remarkable season for Djokovic, in which he claimed 3 Grand Slams and 6 masters 1000 titles.

The Serb beat Rafael Nadal in Saturday’s semi-final and was in equally impressive form as he dispatched Federer in the final.

The match should have been a repeat of last year’s final which didn’t take place due to a back injury sustained by Federer.

The Swiss was forced to save a break point in the opening game of the match but then surrendered his serve two games later.

Federer tried to mix up the rallies and approach the net when the opportunities arose. However his first serve percentage stood at 57% after the first set, and Djokovic took full advantage.

The Serb broke the Federer serve again at the end of the opening set. That meant he served first at the start of the second and Federer was always playing catch up.

Federer saved three break points when trailing 3-2 in the second set; however Djokovic made his move at 5-4 and the title was sealed with a Federer double fault.

“I am enjoying every moment on the court, I cherish every moment after dreaming of it as a kid. Thank you everyone for making this year so special” said the Serb after the match.

Earlier in the day Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau beat Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea 6-4 6-3 to win the doubles title.

ATP World Tour Finals Day 4 - Nadal Beats Murray In Second Group Match

Andy Murray lost his second group match at the ATP World Tour finals after he was comfortably beaten by Rafael Nadal in straight sets.

Nadal, who beat Stanislas Wawrinka on Monday, claimed his second victory of the event and now tops the group with two wins after a 6-4 6-1 victory.

Refeal Nadal celebrates his second win of the event
(Picture from e1.365dm.com)

Murray still looked a little distracted ahead of the Davis Cup final which takes place in less than a week’s time.

He will now play Wawrinka in his final group match to determine whether he will qualify for the semi-final stage, the Swiss takes on David Ferrer later today.

The early signs looked good for Murray who broke Nadal in the opening game of the match but then surrendered his serve in the very next game.

Nadal, who will end the year without a grand slam for the first time since 2003, began to create the better chances and showed indications that he is beginning to rediscover the form which saw him claim 14 major titles.  

In the next couple of games Murray was forced to save three break points, however he conceded his serve and the opening set when he was broke to 0 while trailing 5-4.

It was a decisive breakthrough, as Murray lost his serve to 0 again at the start of the second set in a game which included two double faults.

Even the Brit’s usually dependable backhand was continuously going astray and Nadal took full advantage as he raced towards the finish line.

Another break of serve for the Spaniard when leading 4-1 allowed him to serve for the match and all but guarantee a place in the last four after two straight set victories.

"I think I played well in general” said the Spaniard after the match.  "I didn't think I made that many mistakes. I'm very happy. I'm working hard to play matches like this."

Earlier in the day Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut claimed their first victory in the doubles competition beating Marcin Matkowski and Nenad Zimonjic 5-7 6-3 10-8.

ATP World Tour Finals Day 2 - Murray Beats Ferrer In London Opener

Andy Murray beat Spaniard David Ferrer in his opening group match at the ATP World Tour Finals.

The British number one was on court just over an hour, as he recorded a 6-4 6-4 victory over the world number 7.

Andy Murray in action (Picture from i.guim.co.uk/img)

The other match in the group between Rafael Nadal and Stanislas Wawrinka will take place at 8:00pm tonight.

There were doubts whether the Brit, who is now ranked 2nd in the world, would play in London this year due to Great Britain’s involvement  in the Davis Cup final.

That tie will take place in a fortnight’s time on a clay court in Belgium and Murray has admitted that he has been training on the surface prior to this week.

For the time being he will have to acclimatise to the indoor court at the 02 arena; in the opening game of the match it looked like it may take him a while to adapt as Ferrer created the first break point opportunity.

However the early uncertainty was quickly extinguished as Murray held serve and began the hunt for a break of his own.

Leading 4-3 in the first set, Murray went on the attack but the tenacious Ferrer fended off three break points to level the match at four games all.

Even so the Spaniard’s first serve percentage was dwindling below 50%, and Murray pounced two games later to claim a set advantage.

At the start of second set Murray’s concentration wavered and his serve was broken for the first time in the 11th game of the contest.

The Brit had beaten Ferrer in straight sets at the semi-final stage in Paris a couple of weeks ago, and the Spaniard’s serve continued let him down here.

Murray showed great variety by using an array of drop shots and coming into the net on numerous occasions, as he began to turn the set around.

By the end of the match Ferrer had served eight double faults, and after moving 5-4 ahead Murray broke his opponent for the 3rd time to seal the victory.

Earlier in the day Jean Julien Rojer and Horia Tecău beat Nenad Zimonjic and Marcin Matkowski 6-2 6-4 in the doubles competition.

ATP World Tour Finals Day 1 - Federer And Djokovic Win On Opening Day

Roger Federer won his opening group match at the ATP World Tour Finals after beating Tomas Berdych in straight sets.

Roger Federer in action (Picture from i.eurosport.com) 

The Swiss,  who is bidding for an unprecedented 7th title at the season end championships, made light work of his Czech opponent winning 6-4 6-2 in an hour and eight minutes.

Federer hasn’t won the tournament in London since 2011 due to the dominance of Novak Djokovic, who has won here on the last three occasions.

The Serb earlier recorded a resounding 6-1 6-1 victory over Japanese star Kei Nishikori, and is due to play Federer in his next round robin match.

That should be a closer encounter after both appeared to be in cruise control on day one.

Even so it was Berdych who made the better start in the opening group match, as he broke Federer to 0 in the second game of the match.

However the Czech’s lead was short lived as Federer hit back in the next game and began to flick through the gears.

Berdych has a bizarre record at these championships; each time he has played he has lost his first match but then gone on to win the second.

Once again it looked like Berdych would suffer an opening match defeat as Federer claimed a decisive break at 4-4 in the first set.

He went on to serve it out a game later before taking an early lead in the second.

From there he surged to victory and after his triumph he was rewarded with the ATP fans' favourite and sportsmanship awards.

"It's very special. I enjoy getting awards, especially ones by fans and fellow players. I try to do it with style, I play hard but it is nice to get this respect” said Federer after the match.

Federer’s match followed the doubles match which saw Florin Mergea and Rohan Bopanna beat Bob and Mike Bryan 6-4 6-3.

The other match in the group saw Jamie Murray and John Peers beat Fabio Fognini and Simone Bolelli in a sudden death tiebreak, 7-6 3-6 11-9.

US Open Round 1 - Murray Clears Kyrgios In New York

Andy Murray showed some sympathy towards Australian livewire Nick Kyrgios before their first round match at the 2015 US Open, however there was no mercy from the British number one as he swept through to the second round in New York.

Murray showed respect to the Australian  after the match

Murray certainly didn’t condone the actions of the opinion splitting and controversial 20 year old, who was fined last month for comments made about Stan Wawrinka’s girlfriend. Even so Murray, who is bidding for his third Grand Slam title this fortnight, did offer some empathy before the match saying “everyone makes mistakes and when he makes them it’s obviously in the spotlight”  

The spotlight was certainly fixed on Kyrgios again in this first round clash but thankfully on this occasion it was the tennis which did the talking, recurrently from Murray who progressed in four sets.   

Kyrgios played his part and was his unpredictable and nonchalant self in a match which lasted just over two hours and finished with a score of 7-5 6-3 4-6 6-1, it is the first time the Australian has taken a set off Murray following three previous meetings.

In his post-match press conference Murray described Kyrgios’ lively on-court antics, which included him letting go of his racquet while hitting and forehand and rolling up his sleeves at the start of the fourth set, as “funny” before later expressing  “you have to concentrate on your side (of the court) as much as you can”  

Murray’s concentration and resolve was certainly a big difference in this match up and both are key characteristics which Kyrgios will have improve on if he is to fulfil his unquestioned potential. 

    

It was the Australian who seized the first opportunity breaking the Murray serve in the third game of the match only to be broken back in the next game. If this was a sprint the Australian would have stood a much better chance over a shorter distance, but in a best of five set marathon Murray had the significant advantage.  

The Brit made his move breaking Kyrgios at 6-5 to take the opening set; he subsequently fended off seven break points on his way to the second which he took by six games to three. Kyrgios may have brought his flamboyant style and compelling shots; however his hot and cold low percentage tennis played right into Murray’s hands.

The Brit admitted he “had to do a lot of defending and running in humid conditions” yet he remained robust and resolute and produced the required accuracy when he needed to on serve.

Kyrgios did calm down to fashion up some more consistent tennis and take the third set, however his attention span wavered dramatically in fourth which raced away in under half an hour.

Murray made have shown respect to his younger opponent, which other wouldn’t at this time, but on the court it was business as usual and the Brit can now move his thoughts onto his second round against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino.   

    

Wimbledon Day 13 - Djokovic Reigns Again

Wimbledon has become a place of solace for Novak Djokovic in the last two years; he may have been denied the career Grand Slam at the French Open a month ago, but the curse of Roland Garros is once again a thing of the past thanks to the Serb’s growing enchantment at SW19.

Novak Djokovic with the Wimbledon trophy

For the second year running Djokovic shook off the disappointment after not winning in Paris, which remains the only major to elude him, to pull off a memorable victory over the great Roger Federer on the headline stage of Centre Court.

It wasn’t quite the 5 set epic of 12 months ago where Djokovic squandered a match point and break of serve in the fourth set before winning the title in the fifth.  There were similarities as Federer was left with the task of recovering from 2 sets to 1 down, yet this time the Serb was too canny to let the match unravel into a deciding set.

Even so there was no shortage of drama and after Djokovic convincingly secured the first set tie break by 7 points to 1, he blinked in the second as seven set points came and went. Six of which came in a classic breaker which Federer acquired 12-10, that could have been the cue for sudden   momentum swing but after recomposing himself in the manner of a champion Djokovic reeled his way through the next two set before closing out a 7-6 (1) 6-7 (10) 6-4 6-3 victory.

It’s a result which moves the Serb onto 9 major titles, surpassing the likes of Ivan Lendl, Andre Agassi and Jimmy Connors on 8. That’s the sort of company the Serb is mixing with right now and at 28 he appears to be at the peak of his powers.

Djokovic still has some way to go to catch Federer on 17, but if the Serb continues to play like this over the next couple of years he could yet join the Swiss in the conversation about the greatest ever player.   

This was Djokovic’s third Wimbledon title, but for all his assets you still get the impression he isn’t as treasured in the same way that Federer and even Rafael Nadal are upheld.

Nevertheless none can question the resolution and drive the Serb has shown in the past few weeks, after seemingly cracking his jinx at the French he came up against an inspired opponent in Stanislas Wawrinka who wrestled the title away from him. He didn’t play a warm up tournament before Wimbledon and had to recover from two sets down against the giant serving South African Kevin Anderson. Yet his best match came in the final and in the end he was more than a worthy champion.

"I have to say it's a big challenge playing against Roger," said the Serb after the match. "A lot of players of my generation have looked up to him and followed his lead. He makes you push your limits, work hard and win every single point."

As for Federer, this tournament has shown that there is still plenty of life left in him, especially on grass. His statistic in the final didn’t quite match the immaculate ones he produced in Friday’s victory over Andy Murray, where his first serve percentage reached 76%. Here it finished at 67% which against any other player would probably have got the job done. Not Djokovic.

"I had my chances in the first set. I got lucky to win the second, had chances in the third. Said the Swiss "But he was better on the bigger points. He was rock solid, I didn't play badly myself. That's how it goes."

The first break of serve went Federer’s way in the first set, however Djokovic broke back immediately. The Serb went on to save a total of six out of seven break points in the opener, including two set points, before dominating the tie break which ended with a Federer double fault.

Serving first in the second Djokovic quickly applied some scoreboard pressure. He had two set points before the tie break and five more in it; however Federer saved them all with some fearless tennis including a second serve which checked the line and an incredible 21 shot rally.

After finally levelling the match Federer had break point at the start of the third but it was Djokovic who broke through a couple of games later. At 3-2 to the Serb, the match was temporarily stopped due to a brief ran delay. Went they resumed it was all Djokovic as he calmly converted his third set advantage while keeping Federer at the back of the court with his relentless depth.

An early break for Djokovic in the fourth gave the match an inevitable feel as the Serb’s energy sapping performance appeared to leave Federer on the edge. Djokovic broke serve again to seal the victory, before following his tradition when winning the title by eating some of the Centre Court grass.  

 

Wimbledon Day 12 - Williams Wins 6th Wimbledon Title

After banishing discussions of “The Serena Slam” for the entire Wimbledon fortnight, Serena Williams can now go a whole month and a half without any of her four major titles coming under threat.



Serena Williams and Garbine Muguruza 



She won her 21^st Grand Slam title under blue skies on Centre Court, defeating 21 year old Spaniard Garbine Muguruza 6-4 6-4. Williams now holds all four of tennis’ major prizes and can add her latest Wimbledon conquest to the titles she currently holds in Australia, France and the US.

It is a momentous achievement the iconic American has done just once before in her glittering career. One thing she hasn’t done is won then all in the same year; the opportunity will come in early September at the next major in New York.

That could turn out to be quite an occasion with Williams now just one major away from Steffi Graf’s open era record of 22. Surpassing that, someone will undoubtedly point out Margret Court’s all time record of 24 though it must be noted that when the Australian won majors in the 60’s and 70’s that some players could not travel to the likes of Melbourne and New York and the game has come leaps and bounds since then.

But if there’s a record to be broken Williams will indisputably have it in her sights. At 33 years of age her combination of power and athleticism mixed with her mental resolve still provides opponents with the ultimate task.

Britain’s Heather Watson came closest to stopping the eventual champion, sister Venus and Maria Sharapova were dispatched in straight sets. Victoria Azarenka proved a fierce threat at the quarter final stage, yet Williams battled past them all in what was arguably the toughest route to the final.

Even Muguruza the 20^th seed in her first major final was far from a push over; the 21 year old Spaniard was fearless and rarely phased by taking on her childhood hero on the biggest stage, however after one hour and 23 minutes it was Williams who claimed the treasured prize.

It could have come 20 minutes earlier as Williams almost let a 5-1 second set lead slip through her grasp due to combination of pressure and an inspired Muguruza comeback, however at 5-4 she broke the Spaniards serve to 0 to earn her 6^th title at the All England Club.

 "There was definitely pressure towards the end," said Williams after the match."Garbine started playing really well and I just had to think to stay out there and work really hard.”

"I am having so much fun out on the court. Every day is a pleasure to be playing and winning Wimbledon."

Muguruza, who had never reached the last four of a major before this tournament, received a standing ovation from the Centre Court crowd during the presentation. Her cheerful demeanour and spirited performances over the past two weeks have helped form a strong rapport with the British crowds and at 21 there is still plenty of time for her to lift the title here.

For now its Serena’s time, although after a troublesome start it wasn’t always as convincing as many first thought. Muguruza broke the American’s ominous serve in the opening game of the match after three uncharacteristic double faults from top seed.

The Spaniard then held serve and even lead 0-30 in in the third game as Williams wavered way below her best. Muguruza’s compact returns down the middle of the court were causing the American problems, however there was always the feeling that if Williams could just pull herself together the match was well in her reach.

Muguruza led 4-2 in the first set and had handled the occasion admirably, yet it is usually the times when Williams is down that her champion’s mentality shines through the brightest. The intensity went up, the first serve began to return and in the blink of an eye she had surged ahead to pitch the first set.

From there things escalated quickly for Muguruza, her forehand went astray and with Williams powering up towards her A-game the Spanish challenger struggled to match her. Both players held serve at the start of the second before two breaks of serve gave Williams a four game buffer at 5-1.

She needed it, as Muguruza came charging back with a combination of aggression and accuracy, yet it all finished in a flash as Williams broke serve to 0 before lifting the famous Venus Rosewater Dish. “The Serena Slam” is now complete; just don’t mention the “Year Grand Slam” unless it follows.

Wimbledon Day 11- Fabulous Federer Too Good For Murray

He may have won 17 Grand Slam titles, a Davis Cup and hold the record for number of weeks as world number one, but even the humble Roger Federer may admit that yesterday’s Wimbledon semi-final triumph over Britain’s Andy Murray was one of his greatest ever victories.

Federer reaches his second Wimbledon final in a row

The great Swiss turns 34 next month and if this stellar performance is anything to go by he could have a first major in three years to celebrate with. Novak Djokovic will stand in his way in Sunday’s final and if it’s anything like the five set classic they contested last year the Centre Court crowd will be in for a real treat.

Many with tickets would have hoped for the chance to see Murray bid for his second Wimbledon title, not that Federer going for his eighth is any less appealing.

As hard as it was to believe this was quite possibly Federer’s best ever performance at Wimbledon, who would have thought that when he lost to the unknown Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky in the second round two years ago.

It was the stature of Murray which made it even more impressive, the British number one appears back to his best after overcoming his back surgery in 2013, has a good team around him and had lost just one match since March. But even with the Centre Court crowd edging towards Murray, Federer simply purred at the task.

The Swiss possesses the graceful movement and rock solid returns which helped him win five titles in a row from 2003 to 2007, but since then his game has had to adapt to cope with the baseline warriors like Djokovic and Murray. Under the guidance of coach and childhood hero Stefan Edberg he has rediscovered the confidence to charge to the net and combat his opponents assets.         

Don’t be fooled by the straight sets victory which finished 7-5 7-5 6-4, as this was not a Murray calamity. If anything this was his best match of the tournament, but with all due respect this wasn’t Vasek Pospisil or Andreas Seppi who Murray had dispatched in the earlier rounds.

Here even Murray’s subtlest frailties were magnified to the extreme. Most notably his second serve which had an average speed of less than 90 mph; it didn’t matter whether it was aimed at Federer’s forehand or backhand, as the Swiss continuously made Murray pay.  

At 74% Murray’s first serve percentage was more than admirable, yet he still fell short of Federer’s 76% which was as high as 81% in sets one and three. Overall it was something of a serving masterclass as Federer endlessly located the corners of the service box before, more often than not, ticking off a volley with his familiar elegance.

"It's been tough. Andy's been playing well this season. There's so much expectation riding on it, you just have to focus for one more game, and then one more game. You think the break will come,” said Federer after the match

"I expected four or five sets. I played so well on the biggest occasion today. My serve was good again, against one of the best returners. I kept the pressure up and was able to mix it up. It worked out well."

As for Murray there is no need to go back to the drawing board and after a first full off-season working with coach Amilie Mauresmo ,which has no doubt contributed to a strong start to the year, his game seems to be back at the level it was when he won the title two years ago.

"He served fantastic, apart from the first game where I had the chance there," said Murray. “I obviously got broken right at the end all of the sets but didn't actually play a bad match. I played pretty well."

That game Murray was alluding to in the first game of the match provided his only break point chance of the entire match. Federer saved it with an accurate serve out wide at 30-40 down and from that point on the tone was set.

The quality of the first set was without doubt the best of the tournament so far, as both players served immaculately. The next two break points came Federer’s way when leading 6-5, Murray saved the first with a pressurised down the line forehand. The second was converted by the Swiss who flicked a Murray approach shot back at his feet, which the Brit could only bundle into the net. 

That meant Federer began the second set serving first and once again it proved decisive. With a 5-4 lead the Swiss raced to a 0-40 lead on Murray’s serve to fashion up three set points. In a determined effort the spirited Brit briefly kept him at bay and saved a further two break points in a game which lasted over 14 minutes.   

But after an immediate Federer hold the pressure was back on, a break of serve at 6-5 gave the Swiss a two set lead and despite Murray’s efforts it was a similar story in the third as Federer recorded the only break of the set when 5-4 in front.

Murray must now turn his attention to the Davis cup tie against France next week, as for Federer the next performance comes on Sunday against Djokovic with slam number 18 potentially waiting in the wings.

Wimbledon Days 8 and 9 - Djokovic Back On Track After Giant Scare

In the fairy-tale story of Wimbledon 2015, the defending champion Novak Djokovic slayed another giant challenger who threatened to steel his cherished crown.

On Tuesday Djokovic fended off the challenge from 6ft 8 South African Kevin Anderson after the pair resumed their five set epic which had been carried over from Monday’s fourth round. Yesterday savvy Serb triumphed again as he chopped 6ft 6 Croatian Marin Cilic down to size to stomp into Friday’s semi-final.

Novak Djokovic celebrates reaching the semi final

There he will face France’s Richard Gasquet who defeated a familiar foe Stanislas Wawrinka in a five set marathon on court number one. That may come as a slight relief to Djokovic who was on the receiving end of Wawrinka’s extreme firepower on the clay at Roland Garros a few weeks ago, when the Swiss claimed his first French Open title to deny Djokovic the sensation.  

But this is a new tournament, a new surface and after escaping the clutches of Anderson, where he recovered from two sets down, Djokovic looks at home again on the grass at SW19.

He dismantled the towering figure of Cilic with relative ease and minimum fuss breaking the Croatian’s serve once in each set. In contrast Djokovic didn’t even face a break point during his 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory which fell 10 minutes short of the 2 hour mark.

"It was a very solid performance after a tough five-set match against Kevin in the fourth round" said Djokovic after the match “I didn't know how my body was going to feel. I was hoping I was going to play well and that's what I did”

"The top players are expected to reach the final stages of these competitions, but still I'm happy to make my way through. Of course I try not to take it for granted."

The Serb certainly didn’t hang around as he broke the Cilic serve in the third game of the match and momentum rarely looked like changing hands. Cilic did push Djokovic all the way to five sets at this stage last year and has since won his maiden Grand Slam at the US Open back in September; however this didn’t have the feel of a match which was being contested between two major champions.       

Cilic isn’t a bad player nor did he cover himself in shame, it takes a tremendous effort to win one of tennis’ four big events as he did last year and under the guidance of his coach, compatriot and former Wimbledon winner Goran Ivanisevic, his best may still be yet to come.

However before this match the 12-0 head to head record in favour of Djokovic was daunting and it didn’t take long to see why it was so one sided. Djokovic is renowned as the best returner in the game right now and he regularly neutralised the Croatian’s powerful first serve before outmanoeuvring he from the baseline.  

Ivanisevic would have told his pupil to be aggressive and attack Djokovic at every opportunity, but in truth Cilic rarely had the chance as the Serb made 72% of his first serves which kept him ahead in the rallies.

The Croatian did save three set points when Djokovic was serving for the first set before losing the forth, he then held serve until 4-4 in the second before the Serb’s relentless pressure finally told. 

When Cilic found the target with his first serve he won the point 80% of the time, yet on his second delivery that dropped to 50% as Djokovic unsurprisingly made him pay and exceled in the longer exchanges.

Cilic needed to take risks but unfortunately for him they didn’t pay off, he sent a loose forehand long mid-way through the third set to hand Djokovic his third break of the match, which the top seed concluded a few minutes later.

Earlier in the day both Andy Murray and Roger Federer had also made it through to the last four, as they both prevailed in straight sets to set up a meeting in the other semi-final. If Wawrinka had joined them it would have been the first time since 1995 that the top four seeds had all reached the semi-final stage. Another giant may have fallen but the real big three still remain.         

   

 

Wimbledon Day 6 - Murray Roars Into Week Two

Andy Murray had outplayed his 3^rd round opponent Andreas Seppi for over an hour on Wimbledon’s middle Saturday, he’d served better, returned better and ultimately competed better as he appeared to be cruising through to the tournament’s second week.



Murray recovers after dropping the third set to Andres Seppi

The first two sets had gone in a flash, both claimed by Murray 6 games to 2 and both as convincing as the score-line suggests. Pound for pound, shot for shot the Brit’s game was superior in all departments, yet within the blink of an eye and a call for the trainer the Italian had the third set in his pocket and led by a break of serve in the fourth. It was a stern reminder that the biggest battles, in this sport in particular, often occur in the mind.

Seppi appeared down and out when he trailed by two sets and was scraping through his service games in the third. He was within his rights and the rules to take 3 minute medical time out to receive treatment on a claimed shin injury, yet this was clearly a momentous moment in the match.

Seppi’s time with the trainer certainly helped as he won the next six games, the only evident pain now came from Murray’s side of the net as he began to clutch his right shoulder. But fear not Murray fans the magic trainer was still on hand, only this time in the Brit’s corner as he received a time out of his own.

He returned from the side lines a man reformed, and like an animal in danger his instinct kicked in. At his pumped up and vocal best, Murray roared his way through the next six games just as Seppi had done in the previous set. With that run came the set and the match, the 6-2 6-2 1-6 6-1 victory sends him through to a fourth round meeting with the big serving Croatian Ivo Karlovic.

Many took to social media to express their light hearted reactions , which came along the lines of  “anyone got that physio’s number” and “I’ll have what he’s got” The time out system and toilet breaks may not be the greyest area in tennis right now, compared to the vague rule about the time players take in between points, however it will continue to divide opinions.

Neither Murray nor Seppi appeared to be holding any grudges towards one another though, and both were all smiles as they engaged in a friendly handshake at the end of the match.

If it wasn’t for the mid-match dramas, a few sloppy errors and some inspired play from Seppi this could have been the perfect display if such a thing exists. The main thing is that Murray is through to the second week for the eighth time in his career, an early test could even work in his favour.

Murray will now have a day off before he takes on Karlovic on Monday after the Croatian defeated Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in four sets. No doubt that will be a completely different challenge to the one posed by Seppi, Karlovic served 41 aces in his third round match and predictably rallies will be kept to a minimum.

The good news for Murray fans if he does manage to strike down the 6 ft 11 giant is that for the majority of this match he was as his instinctive best. He was striking the ball cleanly and moving with ease. He’s not the only one, Roger Federer was equally impressive earlier in the day when he defeated Australian Sam Groth in four sets, and Novak Djokovic also looks in fine nick and is yet to drop a set.

Murray will be alone in the second week as his British compatriot and Davis cup team mate James Ward lost the tightest of encounters with Canada’s Vasek Pospisil which finished 8-6 in the fifth set. The biggest story of the day came in the women’s draw as defending champion Petra Kvitova crashed out at the hands of Serb Jelena Jankovic.

Wimbledon Day 5 - Valiant Watson Pushes Williams To The Brink

What a week this has been for women’s sport in this country. On Thursday England’s footballers pushed World Champions Japan all the way at the Women’s World Cup, yesterday it was the turn of Guernsey’s Heather Watson to take on the best the world has to offer as five times Wimbledon champion Serena Williams came within points of crashing out.

Watson bids farewell to the crowd after a fearless performance 

In the end Centre Court stood as one, in appreciation for these two great athletes, the champion and the challenger whose roles had so nearly been reversed after over 2 hours of play.

Such were the slender margins; Watson served for the match when leading 5-4 in the deciding set, after she had fought back valiantly from a set behind. If it wasn’t for Williams’ never say die attitude and champions mentality this would have been a fairy-tale ending, as it turned out the American hadn’t fully read the script and triumphed 6-2 4-6 7-5 

Time and time again Watson scarpered and scurried over the slick and prestigious grass, as she chased down ball after ball while soaking Williams’ vicious attack. The Brit’s fluid movement and rock solid defence was impressive, but not as impressive as her extreme belief and commitment to the cause.

For a set Williams played at her untouchable best, as the American who currently holds 20 Grand Slam singles titles continues to hunt down Steffi Graf’s record of 22. The world number one is also attempting to win the year Grand Slam for the first time in her glittering career, she already has the Australian and French Open titles and Wimbledon remain in her sights.

In comparison Watson is still relatively new to the cauldron of Centre Court but boy did she make it bubble. In her post match interview Williams expressed that “aiming for the top 20 is probably setting her (Watson’s) ambition a bit low” This was evidence that she could more than trouble the best and that her game has come on leaps and bound from when she won just two games against the Pole Agnieszka Radwanska at the same stage here three years ago.

A one-sided first set was over in 25 minutes, as Williams spent little time in the lower gears of her game. But that wasn’t enough to throw Watson off course and after sticking with the top seed in the second she seized her opportunity with both hands.  

In the fifth game of the second set Watson broke the Williams serve for the first time in the match and even though the American broke straight back the Centre Court crowd now had something to get their teeth into.

When trailing 4-3 Watson pulled off the unthinkable, reeling off six games in a row to level the match before taking a 3-0 lead in the third. Williams searched for answers as Watson’s reliable and steady game forced the world number one into some uncharacteristic errors from the back of the court.

But with the mark of a champion she found a way to turn things around and will now face her sister Venus in round four. For Watson this was the day when she showed the very top is not too far away, surely the best is still yet to come.

Earlier in the day both Maria Sharapova and 6^th seed Lucie Safarova had booked their places in the fourth round, while in the men’s draw there were straight set victories for Novak Djokovic, Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet who defeated Grigror Dimitrov. There was also an entertaining match on court two as the Australian agitator Nick Kyrgios beat 7^th seed Milos Raonic in four sets. 

 

 

Wimbledon Day 4 - Brilliant Brown Sends Nadal Out

If you’ve ever took the time to read Dustin Brown’s twitter profile you may have come across the words “Star Of The Adventure: The Tennis Life Of Dustin Brown” Anyone new to the story should be informed that most of Brown’s adventures have come in the middling mists of the second tier challenger tour. The new chapter: victory over Rafael Nadal on the Centre court at Wimbledon.

Dustin Brown celebrates the biggest win of his career

Those who have come across the 30 year old German and his draping dreadlocks would have known that this would be an entertaining match whatever the score. I was lucky enough to watch Brown beat Lleyton Hewitt to reach the third round here two years ago, once seen never forgotten. It’s clear he loves the grass at SW19, he loves the big occasions even more, something Nadal found out to his peril.

For the fourth year in succession the Spaniard’s Wimbledon curse came back to haunt him. The 7-5 3-6 6-4 6-4 defeat to Brown means Nadal has lost to a player ranked outside the world’s top 100 in his last four Wimbledon’s and Brown, currently ranked 102nd in the world, can join the likes of Lukas Rosol, Steve Darcis and Nick Kyrgios on Nadal’s conqueror’s list.

Brown’s ultra-aggressive and flamboyant game was refreshing to see as he rolled back the years of grass court tennis winning 71 of 99 serve-volley points. His opening service game lasted less than a minute and included a 123 mph second serve, just like in previous years it was the 14 time Grand Slam champion who could only pray that his opponent’s level would drop, once again it didn’t.

Nadal did claim the first break of serve in the third game of the match, however his advantage was short lived as Brown hit back instantly. Any Nadal serve which even slightly missed its mark was struck away for a winner by exuberant Brown, who had no plans to slog things out from the back of the court.

Leading 6-5 in the first set the German broke Nadal for a second time to take a deserved lead. If losing the first set wasn’t painful enough for Nadal, it was made more agonising when he clouted his leg with his own racket when attempting to hook back another one of Brown vicious returns. The noise of the impact even echoed around the corners of Centre Court.

Nadal’s form may have been patchy over recent months; however it’s clear that his hunger for the game is still burning strong for the time being. There were still plenty of fist pumps and cries of “vamos” as the Spaniard desperately tried to gear himself up. It worked temporarily at least as he broke the Brown serve early in the second set, that proved to be enough as he levelled the match at a set apiece.

That could have ended Brown’s spirited challenge there and then, yet his rocket serves continued to flow while his flashy finishes at the net kept Nadal in a constant stranglehold. Just when the Spaniard appeared to be getting to grips with his opponent’s relentless serve, the unpredictable Brown stunned him again.

Nadal lost his serve midway through third, as Brown retook the lead, and again at the start of the fourth as the German set his eyes on the finish line. Nadal saved two match points at 5-3 down, but when serving for the match Brown played just as calmly as he had in the opening game of the match.

Nadal later added “I don't know if I will be back to the level of 2008 or 2010" For Brown the adventure moves on to the fourth round where he will face Serbia’s Victor Trocki.

Wimbledon Day 3 - Dazzling Watson Into Round 3

The bigger the stage the bigger the performance from Britain’s number one Heather Watson, who competed for the third day in succession in the blazing heat at Wimbledon’s All England Club.

Heather Watson after her 2nd round win

There was enough pressure on the 23 year old who continues to carry the weight of being the country’s leading female player. Last week Watson announced that she had recently received some offensive twitter messages on social media which she has since learnt to ignore. There was certainly nothing to ignore about her performance on the court as she reached the 3^rd round of a Grand Slam for only the second time in her career.   

Beating world number 72 Daniela Hantuchova in round two was easier said than done. Back in 2002 the Slovak was ranked as high as five in the world and reached the last eight here, even so a repeat of that run never looked on the cards.

13 places separated Watson from her opponent in the WTA world rankings and the British number one made every one look like a milestone in a convincing 6-4 6-2 victory.

It was another step up from the determined fighting tennis which helped the Brit beat 32^nd seed Caroline Garcia in round one. In comparison this was a more confident and dominant display which will be rewarded with a third round match up with world number one Serena Williams.

That match will almost certainly be on Centre Court and will act as an indicator that Watson is within touching distance from the very top of the women’s game. Another step up this will undoubtedly be, but don’t forget her victory over Garcia came on the suburbs of court 12, today’s latest chapter occurred on the realms of court 1.

In truth Hantuchova didn’t have an answer to Watson’s superior movement and more athletic game. The Slovak may have dealt the first blow when she broke the Watson serve in the fourth game of the match to lead 3-1; however the response from the Brit was both prompt and rewarding as she turned the tables to take the set 6-4.

It was not only the aggression, but the consistency of it which was the most impressive factor in Watson’s performance. Her attacks were measured and planned, as she began to extract errors from Hantuchova’s game.

After a break of serve each at the start of the second, Watson was quick to hit the accelerator and race for the line. At 5-1 her performance appeared compete, when she served out the match a game later it soon was. Things only get bigger from here but Watson has proved she can rise to the challenge.    

Earlier in the day Britain’s Liam Broady, who recorded a memorable five set victory on day one, lost to the 16^th seed David Goffin from Belgium. After a tight and competitive first set, Broady couldn’t match his more experienced opponent who prevailed 7-6 (7-3)6-1 6-1.

Elsewhere in the men’s draw top seed Novak Djokovic came through in straight sets against 33 year old Jarkko Nieminen who was competing in his last ever Wimbledon. There were also wins for Stan Wawrinka, Grigor Dimitrov and Milos Raonic while Marin Cilic needed five sets to get past Ricardas Berankis. However fifth seed Kei Nishikori was unable to take to the court against Santiago Giraldo and was forced to withdraw with a calf injury.

In the women’s draw there were straight set victories for both Venus and Serena Williams along with Maria Sharapova who joined them in the third round.

Wimbledon Day 2 - Battling Brits Follow Murray Through

The thermometer on Centre Court read 41 degrees, but there was no major meltdown from Britain’s number one Andy Murray who opened up his Wimbledon campaign with a straight sets victory.

There were times when he was forced to battle and grind against his Kazakh opponent Mikhail Kukushkin, a player who has been lingering around the world’s top 50 for the last few years. However after a couple of minor blips and just over 2 hours of play Wimbledon’s dependable home favourite had surpassed the 1^st round for the tenth time in his career, winning 6-4 7-6(3) 6-4.



Britain's Andy Murray in first round action

For a set and a half the passage to round two appeared relatively straightforward, as Murray quickly rediscovered the impressive form which helped him lift the Queens Club title a week ago.

A break of serve when leading 5-4 in the first set was ideal; another at the start of the second gave the impression that this would be another routine victory, just like the ones produced by Petra Kvitova and Roger Federer who had graced the Centre Court surroundings earlier in the day. 

With Murray leading by a set and 3-0, there was a real possibility that the order of play in the main arena, which included two men’s and one women’s match,  could be done and dusted by as early as five o’clock such was the one sided nature. 

A Murray victory would have been at the top of most agendas, but a decent match would have also come pretty high up the pecking order. To Kukushkin’s credit the crowd received both, as the world number 58 broke back instantly.  

That was just the start of a puzzling run of games and from Murray’s point of view things turned a little messy. After reclaiming his advantage the Brit served for a two set lead, at 30-0 it appeared only a matter of time.   

Yet in an extraordinary turn of events, Kukushkin suddenly ceased the tide. He let loose on his groundstrokes, as his flat shot trajectory zipped through grass, which remains in a slick and verdant condition.

The Kazakh went on to break Murray not once but twice as the Brit’s serve deserted him, allowing Kukushkin to serve for the set at 6-5 up. In the end it was an opportunity not taken and when Murray finally clinched the set on a tiebreak normal service resumed.

A single break was enough in the third as Murray advanced to a second round match with Dutchman Robin Haase “It was a tough match. I made it hard for myself in the second set" added Murray.

There was even more British success on the outside courts as Heather Watson, James Ward and Aljaz Bedene all joined Murray in round two. Watson was first to advance in the women’s singles after beating the 32^nd seed Caroline Garcia 8-6 in the third set following the match’s delay due to bad light on Monday.

Bedene, who was playing his first Grand Slam match as a Brit since switching nationality from Slovenia in March, beat Czech Radek Stepanek in five sets. Meanwhile Ward, who has been renowned  for his impressive Davis Cup performances in recent years, recovered from a set down to overcome Italy’s Luca Vanni 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-4 6-3.

In the men’s draw there were straight set victories for Federer and Rafael Nadal, while Jo-Wilfred Tsonga pulled through against Gilles Muller in five sets. There were more major shocks in the women’s draw as Eugenie Bouchard lost to Ying-Ying Duan and 3^rd seed Simona Halep fell to Jana Cepelova from Slovakia.