Wimbledon - Murray's return key to final

Eurosport - Fri, 03 Jul 15:36:00 2009

Andy Murray's much-vaunted returning skills will be tested to breaking point at Wimbledon on Friday while Roger Federer faces a more subtle examination from a man in too much of a hurry to be blinded by reputation.

TENNIS Andy Murray looking relaxed in training ahead of his Wimbledon semi-final - 0

Murray's semi-final against the resurgent Andy Roddick is one of those irresistible meetings of players with perfectly contrasting strengths.

Murray, aiming to become the first Briton to reach the men's singles final at Wimbledon since Bunny Austin in 1938, has been hailed as one of the best returners of serve on grass. Roddick, the 26-year-old American, has a serve that is a huge weapon on any surface.

Federer's semi-final will test his intelligence as much as his reactions as he takes on Tommy Haas, the 31-year-old German who is basking in the warmth of an unexpected Indian summer.

While Federer aims for his 15th grand slam singles title, an achievement that would take him out on his own ahead of Pete Sampras, Haas is eager to make up for lost time.

The German has come here for once injury-free and he has lit up the championships by mixing classic serve-and-volley with with and innovation from the back of the court.

Haas let Federer off the hook when they met at the French Open, letting the Swiss come back from two sets and break-point down, and with that heroic tussle still fresh in everyone's mind their meeting on Friday will have added piquancy.

For the home crowd, of course, whatever delights Federer and Haas serve up it will not match their enthusiasm for Murray.

The 22-year-old Scot made life difficult for himself going to five sets against Stanislas Wawrinka under the roof but he made up for it by beating Juan Carlos Ferrero with ruthless efficiency in Wednesday's afternoon sun.

"You know, I think he's one of the best returning guys that there is on a grass court," Ferrero said. "He returns everything, no matter how you serve."

Murray's own serve also looked in good shape and when his game came together in the second set he looked untouchable, rattling off five games in 10 minutes.

It will be harder to conjure that level of dominance against Roddick, a man who has twice reached the final at Wimbledon and is back playing with the sort of indefatigable spirit that made him a US Open champion at the age of 21 in 2003.

Murray has won six of their eight previous matches, including one at Wimbledon in 2006.

Roddick's recent work on his fitness means he is now lighter and stronger, although such a tough work-out against Hewitt will test his powers of recovery to the limit.

"I feel fit and I feel healthy," said Roddick said after serving 43 aces in a 6-3 6-7 7-6 4-6 6-4 victory over the dogged Australian Lleyton Hewitt in a quarter-final scrap that will live long in the memory.

"I'm in better shape now than I was when I was 24."

Haas, who was once ranked as high as second in the world, is another player who looks better than ever here.

After saving two match points against Marin Cilic in the third round, Haas has gone from strength to strength and reached the semis with a cool victory over world number four Novak Djokovic on Wednesday.

Federer, making his 21st consecutive appearance in a grand slam semi-final, is a step up in class even from Djokovic.

The Swiss reached the last four by dismantling the Ivo Karlovic serving machine in a straight sets victory.

"Against Tommy I have to play a good match from the start," Federer said. "As we saw in Paris, it was brutal.

"Yeah, it's gonna be tough but, you know, I'm happy to be back in another semi-final. The 21st in a row. It's amazing. Means the world to me. Let's see what happens now."

Semi-finalists routes through Wimbledon (prefix denotes seeding):

2-Roger Federer (Switzerland)

R1: Beat Lu Yen-hsun (Taiwan) 7-5 6-3 6-2

R2: Beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain) 6-2 6-2 6-4

R3: Beat 27-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) 6-3 6-2 6-7(5) 6-1

R4: Beat 13-Robin Soderling (Sweden) 6-4 7-6(5) 7-6(5)

QF: Beat 22-Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) 6-3 7-5 7-6(3)

3-Andy Murray (Scotland)

R1: Beat Robert Kendrick (US) 7-5 6-7(3) 6-3 6-4

R2: Beat Ernests Gulbis (Latvia) 6-2 7-5 6-3

R3: Beat 30-Viktor Troicki (Serbia) 6-2 6-3 6-4

R4: Beat 19-Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) 2-6 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-3

QF: Beat Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) 7-5 6-3 6-2

6-Andy Roddick (US)

R1: Beat Jeremy Chardy (France) 6-3 7-6(3) 4-6 6-3

R2: Beat Igor Kunitsyn (Russia) 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-2

R3: Beat 26-Juergen Melzer (Austria) 7-6(2) 7-6(2) 4-6 6-3

R4: Beat 20-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 7-6(4) 6-4 6-3

QF: Beat Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) 6-3 6-7(10) 7-6(1) 4-6 6-4

24-Tommy Haas (Germany)

R1: Beat Alexander Peya (Austria) 6-7(5) 7-6(0) 6-3 6-4

R2: Beat Michael Llodra (France) 4-3 Llodra retired

R3: Beat 11-Marin Cilic (Croatia) 7-5 7-5 1-6 6-7(3) 10-8

R4: Beat 29-Igor Andreev (Russia) 7-6(8) 6-4 6-4

QF: Beat 4-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 7-5 7-6(6) 4-6 6-3

Reuters

Comment 79 - 98 of 118

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  1. Inverkenny...I've already replied to your posts.­ But to set the record straight, it is possible to enjoy­ a tennis match without any discussion about the merits­ of someone's origins, and without generalising­ about populations. I don't feel any need to declare­ any national pride to the world, nor even do I need to­ tell anyone where I come from. I find it annoying to­ people who use a blog/thread like this to go off on a­ tangent. I don't actually care that you are­ Scottish and proud. I think stoking up international­ grudges and disputes, especially those which happened­ centuries ago is unhelpful in a world which really­ desperately needs to start living the idea of simply­ being nice to each other. This is not naive; it is a­ simple step which so many individuals on this planet­ find difficult to take. I have nothing personal against­ you, Inverkenny, for reasons just stated. Peace be with­ you...now, back to the tennis...

    From Schmoegler, on Fri 3 Jul 3:52PM

  2. murray is a puesdo american so don't get in a tis­ about the scottish bit ..listen to his accent

    From cochino, on Fri 3 Jul 3:51PM

  3. Well inverkenny my comment wasnt actually aimed at you­ as your comments seem to have a bit of intelligence­ behind them, but you have shown your true intelect with­ your response. I am English and i dont have a problem­ with anyone from the uk. One thing i have noticed in my­ time working with the scots whom i have worked with­ many is that they are all either alcoholics or­ recovering alcoholics. The last one i worked with was­ sacked this morning for being sick on the shop floor­ and being more drunk in the morning than most people­ are in the evening

    From mark, on Fri 3 Jul 3:35PM

  4. I am English, and very proud of that fact. I dont want­ Murray to win because he is Scottish and in sporting­ rivalry i generally support whoever Scotland/Wales/Rep­ Ireland play against, and to be honest i love the­ rivalry and banter. If there was a war we would fight­ side by side, but in sport - i hate the lot of you!!!

    From garethw56, on Fri 3 Jul 3:32PM

  5. sorry mark, thought you were going to educate us there,­ but nope, just drivel, why did you bother writing that­ if that's what you feel we all are?

    From inverkenny, on Fri 3 Jul 3:26PM

  6. rock and roll, why are you so concerned with Scotland,­ you sound obsessed, no wonder, it is a lovely place,­ but you sound painfully bitter and twisted, Scotland­ Forever.

    From inverkenny, on Fri 3 Jul 3:21PM

  7. Here we go again, the game hasnt even started and all­ the numbnuts are spouting the total and utter brainless­ @#$% that is now obligatory on these boards, i feel so­ sorry if thats all the idiots have to look forward to­ in there lives.

    From mark, on Fri 3 Jul 3:20PM

  8. Rock and Roll - Buy One Get One Free (BOG OFF!), take­ your blinkers off, and get lost!

    From Tony H, on Fri 3 Jul 3:20PM

  9. The UK is an illusion, it was created by treachery and­ murder, long live the Scots, the Irish, the Welsh, the­ Manx and the Cornish, if you want to support Murray­ that's up to you, if you dont, that's up to you­ too, dont let anyone call you a racist or a bigot just­ for that, god sake get a life everyone, it's a game­ of tennis, and im Scottish and Proud, Scotland Forever.

    From inverkenny, on Fri 3 Jul 3:19PM

  10. ROCK AND ROLL, what the hell are you harping on­ about??? What do you mean, Murray's CHEATING­ Mother? I don't know if she's his coach too,­ but she's obviously been there at the court for­ him, supporting him and spurring him on his just about­ every trying shot! So what if they're Scots - that­ still makes them British, no matter! lets' get­ behind them!
    The greatest cheats in sport? Come on,­ open your eyes - there are plenty of cheats in­ football, Chelski players like "Dirtier"­ Drogba, Michael Essien, or Ballack, 1 or 2 divers in­ the Arsenal side, and even Cristiano Ronaldo sometimes­ - "the squinny" whenever refs decisiiosn or­ whatever, go against him and don't suit him........

    From Tony H, on Fri 3 Jul 3:17PM

  11. This is a terrible article!

    From Jimmys Lovin It, on Fri 3 Jul 3:15PM

  12. Well well well seems our friend for comment 69 speaks­­ from experience !!

    From Sebastian, on Fri 3 Jul 3:15PM

  13. sorry stephen, your losing me here, i was being honest,­ i said i didn't want henman to win when you asked,­ why should i? and if you or a Spaniard, or Frenchman­ want Murry to win, that's up to you, so how does­ that make me bigoted but not racist, look forward to­ hearing your reply, im sure we all are.

    From inverkenny, on Fri 3 Jul 3:15PM

  14. THE SWEATS HATE THE ENGLISH. ALWAYS HAVE AND ALWAYS­ WILL........AND TO THE SWEAT THAT SAID GREAT SCOTTISH­ FOOTBALL MANAGERS AND PRIME MINISTERS ARE IN ENGLAND,­ WHY DO YOU THINK THEY ARE??????? BECAUSE NO DECENT SCOT­ WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LIVING IN­ SWEATSVILLE...........SO KEEP MURRAY AND YOUR ONLY­ OTHER CLAIM TO FAME SEAN CONNERY (WHO INCIDENTALLY WAS­ ANOTHER DRUG CHEAT IN HIS BODYBUILDING DAYS) AND GO­ BACK TO YOUR FILTHY LIVES..............THE ONLY DECENT­ PLACE IN SCOTLAND IS THE WESTCOAST, WHERE THEY ARE­ FALLING OVER THEMSELVES TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THE­ REST OF YOU SORRY EXCUSES................

    From ROCK AND ROLL, on Fri 3 Jul 3:13PM

  15. MURRAY WILL LOSE,SCOTTISH TURD

    From rafascrackingup, on Fri 3 Jul 3:00PM

  16. Rock and Roll...go away.

    From Schmoegler, on Fri 3 Jul 2:58PM

  17. Inverkenny...you may not be racist, but you sure are­ bigoted. Who cares where somebody comes from when, if­ you actually like watching tennis, we are in for a­ treat or two today. On this thread talk tennis or­ don't talk at all. Roddick's serve vs­ Murray's return will be a great contest.

    From Schmoegler, on Fri 3 Jul 2:56PM

  18. And whoever posted about a "United"­ Kingdom!!! HAHAHAHAHAAHAHHA deluded man

    From artiechoke, on Fri 3 Jul 2:53PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Anyone! but Murray......loathsome.

    From artiechoke, on Fri 3 Jul 2:52PM

  20. Rock and roll...I think you have some deep-seated­ problem there, and it's becoming tedious. Just­ watch the matches and enjoy the quality tennis instead­ of indulging in whatever your vile imagination throws­ up...pathetic.

    From Schmoegler, on Fri 3 Jul 2:44PM
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