Tennis Panorama Archives

Archives of TennisPanorama.com 2008-2013

TennisPanorama.com 2008-2013
  • Home
  • Tennis Panorama
You are here: Home / Contributors / Murray Once More into the Semifinal

Murray Once More into the Semifinal

July 4, 2012 By Tennis Panorama News

WIMBLEDON – It was with palpable relief that Britain’s Andy Murray sat back in his chair, after closing out a tense four-set match against Spain’s David Ferrer, for a place in the Men’s Semifinal, 6-7(7), 7-6(8), 6-4, 7-6(7)

Optimistic interview questions from the day before, labeling Ferrer as a clay-court specialist were quickly refuted by Murray who pointed out that Ferrer had been on quite a winning streak since the start of the grass-court season.

Murray predictably started slowly, with Ferrer matching him in the tenacious retrieving stakes “ seemingly all over the court, all of the time.

Even though Murray clawed his way back to force a tiebreak, Ferrer was more dominant, taking the first set, and muting the Centre Court crowd.

This match was always going to be close, against the world No.  4 and 5, but the momentum swung Murray’s way in the second set, as Ferrer failed to capitalize on chances to close out the set.

Ferrer said: “I think the key was in the second set, when I have 5-4 or I had one set point in the tiebreak.

“But Andy, in important moments he play really good.

“He played more aggressive than me, and he was better, no?”

Ferrer will return to the grass, representing Spain in the Olympics, later this month.

A brief rain delay meant that both Murray and Ferrer were having physiotherapy in the same treatment room, at the same time.

But on the continuation, Murray seemed to have the edge although with just a single break separating them in the third set, and producing an ace to win the match.

Murray felt he had improved as the match went on.

“I knew it was going to be tough.

“You know, it’s the hardest match that I played.

He continued: “€œI was expecting a lot of long rallies.”

Murray is now tied with former British favourite Tim Henman on four semi-final appearances.

He said: “Obviously the goal now is to win the next match and try and get through to the final for the first time.”

Murray still sought to play down his chances, saying that the year he was defeated by Andy Roddick, he had been playing well, but Roddick had played unbelievably well in the semis, and then in the final.

Nor did he dismiss the idea of facing Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in the semifinal, instead of Rafael Nadal.

He said: “Just because I lost to him a few times doesn’t mean I’d never want to play against him.

“I don’t mind playing against Rafa.

“I’ve won against him in slams before.”

With regards to Tsonga: “You know, rather than focusing on it being the semi-finals of Wimbledon, I need to focus on it being a match against him and what I do well against him and what’s worked against him in the past.”

Murray played in front of Royalty today in front of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as well as the tennis royalty of Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf and Rod Laver.

Certainly the Centre Court crowd were not backwards in coming forwards with their advice, with someone shouting out in the crowd to stop playing drop-shots!

“It’s funny.”  In the last whatever, four matches or something, five matches I played, when they work no one says anything.

“When I miss a couple, that’s the reason why you lost or that’s the reason why it was a closer match than it should have been.”

His demeanor seems to have matured, and he is handling the pressure of carrying the home country’s hopes on to the next match.

“When I first played here I didn’t understand what it was like,” he said, “it still took a few years for me before I understood how important this tournament was to me, how important it is to tennis, and also this country, as well.”

Murray will face Tsonga on Friday but for now it is best not to dwell on the weight of history on his shoulders.

Ros Satar is a British Journalist- an IT journalist by day, and a sports journalist in all the gaps in between. She is the co-founder of Britwatch Sports (britwatchsports.com). Follow her on twitter at @rfsatar.

 

Filed Under: Contributors, Features, Front Page News, news conference, tennis news, tournament coverage, tournaments Tagged With: 2012 Wimbledon, Andy Murray, David Ferrer, Ros Satar, Wimbledon

Archives

  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • March 2009
  • December 2008

Copyright © 2023 · Metro Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in