LONDON, (Reuters) – Roger Federer sprinkled his magic all over Centre Court yesterday before Andy Roddick bludgeoned Andy Murray into the hallowed turf to leave Britain still seeking its first post-war men’s singles finalist at Wimbledon.
Record-hunting Swiss Federer was at his dazzling best, beating resurgent German Tommy Haas 7-6 7-5 6-3 to reach his seventh men’s singles final here, a feat not achieved since the abolition of the Challenge Round in 1922.
Federer’s virtuoso performance watched by the lucky 15,000 with Centre Court tickets was supposed to the curtain-raiser for the thousands massing in front of the huge screen on the grassy expanse known as Henman Hill for the Murray blockbuster later.
However, the Scot fluffed his lines and was outplayed in his first Wimbledon semi-final by American former world number one Roddick, losing 6-4 4-6 7-6 7-6 as Murray-mania fizzled out and disappointed fans headed to the bars to drown their sorrows.
Roddick, beaten by Federer in the 2004 and 2005 finals here, has not contested the championship match at a grand slam since the 2006 U.S. Open, but appears to have re-discovered the spark.
He was inspired against Murray, not only on his trusty serve which boomed down 21 aces but, more surprisingly, at the baseline and around the net where he displayed the kind of all-court craft many thought was beyond him.
There was one large slice of luck when he faced set point in the third set tiebreak, framing a winning volley, but he appeared nerveless as he clinched victory on his second match point after Murray had saved the first with a stunning crosscourt backhand that produced a deafening roar.
“You don’t go back to a Wimbledon final by accident,” the 26-year-old Roddick, who topped the rankings in 2003 after winning his sole grand slam title at Flushing Meadows, told reporters when asked about his revival.
“It certainly is a process. And it’s probably been a longer process than I would have liked.
“I’m excited about this one. I didn’t know if I was going to get to play a final of Wimbledon again.”
He was bundled out in the second round by Janko Tipsarevic last year — a defeat he said made him take a long, hard look at where his career was heading.
“Last year after I played here, that was a hard, hard couple of weeks. You know, (wife) Brook and I had a lot of talks on if I still thought I could play towards the top of the game. I definitely openly questioned it at that point.
“I did work real hard and have been committed from everything to diet to sleep to everything. I certainly gave myself every opportunity to succeed.”
BEST SHOT
Murray, who had been trumpeted by the British media as the man to finally emulate Bunny Austin’s run to the final in 1938, looked shattered by his defeat but said he would bounce back.
“I’m very close to the top of the game. The U.S. Open I’ve always said is my best surface, my best chance to win a slam, and I’ll give it my best shot there,” Murray, who lost to Federer in the final there last year, told reporters.
Federer was already leaving the club with pregnant wife Mirka before Roddick delivered his hammer blow to Murray.
With his game back to its flamboyant best he would have been supremely confident, whoever stood across the net tomorrow, but he will sleep well knowing only Roddick, who he has an 18-2 career record against, now stands in the way of a record 15th grand slam title.
Federer unleashed every shot in his armoury against a gallant Haas, ending a two-hour exhibition with a slam-dunk smash reminiscent of Pete Sampras in his prime, the American he currently shares the grand slam titles record with. “It’s quite staggering now, having reached again I think it’s my sixth straight grand slam final,” Federer, who hit 49 winners of mind-boggling variety and offered up not one break point chance for Haas, told reporters.
“Having so many things going for me now, an opportunity again on Sunday, it’s fantastic. Quite amazing to be back in the Wimbledon final already because it seems like now all of a sudden everything happened very quickly.” The only time Federer looked remotely flustered was in the fourth game of the third set when, after a ferocious exchange of groundstrokes, Haas landed a backhand on a rough patch of the baseline and it leapt like a kicking horse off Federer’s frame.
If the German could have hit that uneven spot 100 times he may have stood a chance, but that would require a touch genius and that was all on the other side of the net.
