Roddick spoils Murray’s party
He, not Brit, faces Federer in final
WIMBLEDON, England - The Times of London proclaimed it a “day of destiny’’ and ran a list of five excuses to give the boss for missing work yesterday to watch Andy Murray’s semifinal at Wimbledon.
With a victory, the 22-year-old Scot would become the first British man to reach Wimbledon’s final since 1938. With one more tomorrow, Murray would become the first to raise its coveted trophy since 1936.
But American Andy Roddick spoiled the party.
Before a wildly partisan crowd, Roddick upset the third-seeded Murray, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-5), to earn a spot in the final, where, for a seventh consecutive year, Roger Federer awaits.
Already hailed by many as the greatest ever to wield a racket, Federer is seeking a 15th Grand Slam title, which would break the record he shares with Pete Sampras.
While Federer’s place in the final seemed preordained, though made official by a 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, 6-3 victory over Tommy Haas earlier in the day, few expected the sixth-seeded Roddick, rather than Murray, would be the Andy staring back across the net.
Roddick fell to his knees on Centre Court’s hallowed lawn and buried his head in his hands the moment Murray’s final backhand plowed into the net, ending the three-hour, seven-minute ordeal. When he looked up, his eyes were rimmed with tears.
“I didn’t know if I’d ever get another chance to play for another Grand Slam final,’’ Roddick said moments later, acutely aware that six years have elapsed since he won his first and only major title, the 2003 US Open, at age 21.
Roddick’s surprising achievement in toppling the favored Scot means that three of the four Wimbledon finalists this Fourth of July weekend will be Americans.
Sisters Venus and Serena Williams square off for the women’s title today. In addition, the sisters will vie for the Wimbledon’s women’s doubles title, and Americans Bob and Mike Bryan reached the finals in men’s doubles. An American teen, Jordan Cox, advanced to the junior boys final as well.
But it was Roddick’s victory that stung the locals the most, crushing Britain’s hopes of a resurgence of national pride at the All England Club.
Murray remained unbowed, vowing to return a stronger, bolder player next year.
“I believe I can win a Grand Slam, whether it’s Wimbledon or the US Open or Australia or whatever,’’ said Murray, noting he finished with more aces, more winners, and fewer unforced errors than Roddick. “I’m going to give myself chances.’’
But it will be Roddick’s turn to match strokes with Federer.
History counsels against him. Roddick is 2-18 against the Swiss - a record that includes losses in each of the three other major finals he has reached, Wimbledon in 2004 and 2005 and the 2006 US Open.
But Roddick is a different player today, and he proved it in many ways.
His transformation began this time a year ago, when he suffered a humbling second-round loss at Wimbledon. His game - essentially a one-two punch of big serve and booming forehand - hadn’t progressed. And he questioned whether he’d get another chance to compete for a major title.
So he went to work. He changed coaches, shed 15 pounds and added more variety to his game.
“Throughout my career I’ve had a lot of shortcomings,’’ Roddick said, “but trying hard wasn’t one of them.
The results showed in his newfound prowess and confidence at the net, as well as his cagey drop shots and crisply struck backhands.
Still, he never built a comfortable cushion after winning the first set. Murray roared back to win the second set and clawed from 2-5 down to force a tiebreak in the third.
When Roddick charged the net, Murray fired breathtaking passing shots that strained the rules of geometry. He wasn’t cowed by Roddick’s serve (including one at 143 miles per hour), either, managing seven break points against the American.
Roddick turned back all but two, and took pains afterward to compliment Murray’s skill and fight.
“I can’t say enough good things about Andy’s game,’’ Roddick said. “To be fair, [Murray] had a lot of pressure on him. I was able to go out there and swing.’’
Federer’s victory over the 24th-seeded Haas was more straightforward. But it featured some terrific exchanges between two of the game’s most artful practitioners of the one-handed backhand, as former champions Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg watched.
But in short order Federer was at the net, extending a handshake to yet another player whose Wimbledon dream he had brought to an end. 