First!!!

Winning Wimbledon against Federer looks a difficult task for Roddick, but I'm already looking forward to watch Andy playing the final at the US Open; I think this is the year he'll win it again...

and Davis Cup also!!! Go Andy!!!

Fuenluij, are you new?

Pete - I've been waiting to see what you'd pull together - and viola here it is!

Very exciting match today, I was so pleased with RAndy's play. He was so focused on court, head down while waiting to receive serve, no rushing, just playing and paying attention to his side of the court.

There were times when he got himself into trouble, and i went 'oh no', but he dug himself out. And what was also striking to me was that when he did dig out, it wasn't with aces.

the ONLY bad thing about the match (other than breaking the hearts and hopes of a nation) was that i had to watch it on my computer. sigh.

I am DELIGHTED to see Andy Roddick in the final!

Murray learned today he has a way to go to be able to hang in there to get in to the finals of a grand slam. Although he was able to do it at the US OPEN, to be consistant is a far different storyline....

They are hard to win as Roger has said many times.

As a fedfan, of course I want to see Roger bypass Pete's record slams but I have to admit, if he is to loose,

best to loose to somebody representing my country.

I am very proud of Andy Roddick right now.

But go FED!!

Nice post. Glad to see Andy back.

Hey all. *waves*

Just heard on the radio - "Andy Murray is out of Wimbledon. How will Britain cope with yet another sporting loss?"

Laugh at it and make a cup of tea, I guess. ;-) Business as usual!

I was so impressed with RAndy today, agree he did everything well, not just serve. He had a little blip in the second set, serving for it, but kept it together beautifully after that. He saved quite a few BPs in the later two sets, I remember - Murray had his chances. I think. Although I may have blocked some of it out, LOL.

anyway - you could see how much it meant to RAndy at the end, and in the club, going up the stairs - impossible not to be happy for him. :)

LOL @ "British subject" - I guess it's technically true but it does sound funny. :)

I was so stunned by Roddick's crafty and versatile play that I really couldn't form much of an impression of Murray's performance level. He didn't seem to be able to impose himself on the match in the way that he often seems to. Perhaps he was surprised by the shrewd choice of shots and good execution which Roddick was able to employ. Murray's been described as a player who uses the rope-a-dope strategy against more power-oriented players, but Roddick certainly wasn't letting him get away with that in this match. Federer will have his work cut out for him.

Great Piece. I was wondering what you'd come up with this time and it's great as always. I'm really glad he's in the final. Maybe American tennis isn't as dead as advertised... Only hope now is that he can reverse history and beat THE MIGHTY FED. Although sense tells me it's probably not going to happen, but a match is never over till the last point is and alot can happen in between now and then.

Urgh!

I'm so disappointed (a familiar feeling to all British tennis fans) but congratulations to Andy Roddick - he was marginally the best player on the day, and managed to produce his best performance in years.

The best man won today, and at 22 years old the other Andy will have his chances in years to come.

Well played Andy Roddick. Have a good 4th of July and good luck for the 5th.

I'm not new, actually I guess I'm getting old :-)

I'm just a regular reader, but no so regular poster...

I am very happy that RAndy won today.

A do respect Murray's game, but it always makes me very nervous, when he wins a match, because of the opponents errors. Wawrinka also had many chances and it was unbelivable to see that Murray didn't go for his shot at the important points and just waited for the opponent error. And to his luck Wawrinka missed it. You can't win a grand slam (21 sets) by gambling at important points. It is pretty obvious looking at the stats, that Murray played agressive points during the match as he had more winners than Roddick, but he just doesn't trust in his agressive game at important points. And Roddick didn't give him the favour like Wawrinka did to miss the important point. So in my opinion Murray still has a lesson to learn to win a Grand Slam.

About the Sunday final: this will be my first Grand Slam final for years, which I can watch without any worries as a Federer fan. Not because I am sure that Federer will win. Roddick really plays good tennis at this tournament and has a chance. But because if I have to chose somebody after Federer to win Wimbledon, then it is Roddick. He really deserves it. And he is really a nice guy. Just read any of his interviews.

And finally about the weak era of Federers. Has anybody seen the right side of the Wimbledon draw?

thanks for this Pete. it truly is a joy to read since I know I'll be wading through some very different (buzz-killing) coverage in the British press come the morn.

*still processing everything*

btw Roddick's 26 a little while longer. not 27.

First? Brilliant piece. As a Fed KAD I am actually rooting for Andy to win this one. Roger should take one for the team this time around. He has 14, 5 of them Wimbledon titles. He can afford to let one go. One for the old married guys.

Pete, spot on with the serenity. When Connors was coaching him, Roddick had a kind of re-intensified fire (orange?) but today he was calmly aggressive. I was so happy for him. It's the kind of balance, frankly, that Murray has been trying to reach and people thought he had this fortnight, but maybe not today.

Btw, my vote for the best horrified British reaction goes to English comedian and writer Stephen Fry on twitter (following on his Wimby iPHone app): "Holy suck-pigging b**ch!"

I dunno what it means, but it captured the spirit!

Nice one, Pete. As with Haas, I really really hope Andy can get one over Roger. But, I think, as ppl have pointed out, there's more pressure on Roddick in this match. Combined with his worst nightmare in terms of match-up across the net. Rain down the aces Andy, and may the tie-breaks swing your way, for once!

Pete:

Great analysis and layered subterranean insight, as usual. Loved the piece.

Much as you work a reference to a bull into a big match involving Federer at the business end of a slam, you also have a knack for working jets and flames into your Grand Slam articles on this blogsite.

The key is, you always pull it off so well. Thanks, and well done!

Wonderful piece, Pete. Reminds me of all the folks who vehemently wrote off Roddick as a one-trick pony not so long ago. He may never win another major but it's not for lack of heart or lack of effort; in so many ways, he shows us the best of sport. That said, to win he will have to go up against his Tiger, and that's no easy task.

P.S. Players at this level can NEVER afford to let one go. If Fed had that attitude, he'd never have won 14 or just reached six major finals and persevered through the trifecta of tough, tough finals losses to Nadal or other dispiriting defeats earlier this year. With Nadal, Murray, Djokovic, Del Potro and other younger talent in the picture, he can't afford such complacency.

I could watch most of the match and I was very happy to see Roddick playing so well. Very happy to see him in the final too. Sorry for Murray, his fans, and Britain in general ;-)
I liked Riddick's post-match interview statement "My game has had various shortcomings in the past years, but not trying hard enough has not been one of them" (paraphrasing what I remember) (and marginally also "Let's not make a mistake here: Murray has been a better player than me in the last year, only that today I was a little better".)
Good luck to him in the final, he will need it (even with the improvement, his main weakness in grass is still movement, imo, which is just the wrong weakness to have in front of Federer :-(

Me likes the article very much: I'd give it 4 stars out of 5!

Never seen Roddick play better!

And good bye vampiroi! Unless he was hurt, cause his second serve was really weak: compare his at 79 mph to Haas's at 116!

...and yes, I don't have much of a sixth sense for these things (nor for Xs and Os either), but I did perceive some change in attitude in Roddick that Pete has been able to capture very well.

Pedro this was great. Thanks.

C'mon RAndy!

Andy won respect.

He was about to join Safin as a once great player heading out to pasture.

He did what few his age would do in this sport, he put his ego aside to learn.

That is impressive!

I agree with everyone else - great article. I might even start liking Roddick again since he is acting like an adult. His ugly treatment of officials and lesser ranked players turned me off some time ago.

I'm soooo thrilled! I really didn't think Andy "Opie" Roddick could upset Murray on a mission. Now that he has, I really don't believe he has a chance to take this slam away from Roger. But then, no one gave Andre a chance in 1992 either!

I love Andy R. even more since he manned up and took brave personal action to protest the scandal in Dubai this year. What a lovely wedding present to himself and his bride, Brooklyn, if he could bring home the Wimbie title. I do hope it happens for him. He's worked so hard to get back in the mix with the top boys.

48 out of 143 doesnt sound a right stat from the match, can someone tell me what it really was?

Instead of all the analyzing I can say, I am happy for Roddick, just for himself, even before (I am not ashamed to be honest that) i am relieved for federer having to play roddick instead of murray in the final.

and to quote him back, he may have a lot of shortcomings but 'not trying' is not one of them, the guy can move you, at times, with his honesty.
Let me be the first to say, that as much as I used to despise his swagger and general amercican immodesty when things were flying high in 2003, long before the retooling of his game gets him respect, the retooling of his modesty and equanimity, won me over, I think it was in 2006 Cincy, when the media tried to rehype him saying : arent you great now, you are ready to take on these top guys no? etc etc
he refused to be caught (yet again) in the hype, all he said was, "No, when you are 19 you will believe a lot of things others tell you, now, I am just happy to be playing good tennis once again" and that was it, he was a changed man and since that moment, he has been one of my favorite guys on tour, his quick wit only makes it even more pleasurable, meaning the liking him part and he has kept that modesty and changed outlook with him since then till date.

Andy Roddick, is an american tennis player who gives everything on the court and all of it is good.

yeah roddick is in final after crushing murray in a thrilling way...but i an pretty sure that federer will win wimbledon 2009.federer has started playing some brilliant tennis since last few days ..so keeping that in background roger federer will win his 15 slam

"""
48 out of 143 doesnt sound a right stat from the match, can someone tell me what it really was?
"""

federerfan, Roddick won a total of 143 points in the match. 48 out of 75 net approaches. Yeah, the way it was phrased in the article confused me...I thot he'd approached 143 times which would be bizarre.

Interesting how the same people who think that Karlovic is only aces and tie-breaks are now pretending that Roddick didn't make it to the final by serving 160 aces and playing 8 tie-breaks already...the 4th of July sure is in the air, lol !

Andy Roddick did not break all of Britain's heart at all - just the two week tennis fans and rabid Andy Murray fans. The rest of us haven't exactly warmed to him, so we aren't exactly heartbroken because Roddick beat him. The hype has been unbearable - the media is heartbroken because he lost. You could hear it in the commentator's voices, they were shellshocked and almost speechless when Roddick won. They'd obviously started believing their own hype. Ha!

I was on Centre Court today and I thought the crowd waited too much for Murray to give them something to cheer about, rather than backing him from the start. They were almost silent for a lot of the fourth set. Congrats to Roddick, he played a helluva match and I'm looking forward to seeing a good match on Sunday.

For the Fed match I was sat next to an American guy and he was saying how the US wasn't that good at tennis anymore, and that Andy Roddick wasn't that good a player. (Don't you just love these bozos who come out with this sort of tripe?). I did point out that Roddick has had a commendable career and that it's not easy winning majors when there's a certain Roger Federer playing at the same time. I hope he found a new respect for Roddick after his match today. I love the fact that Roddick always tries to improve and get better, even when he's now one of the veterans.

All in all, it was a great day on Centre Court and the best players won. I think Sunday will be competitive but a certain someone will be winning their 15th grand slam.

Jewell wrote:

Just heard on the radio - "Andy Murray is out of Wimbledon. How will Britain cope with yet another sporting loss?"

Laugh at it and make a cup of tea, I guess. ;-) Business as usual!

***

Well no, not really. These things leave pretty deep scars. Here's a man who expresses it far better than I ever could; Matthew Syed writing in The Times a couple of days ago:

"They fail to grasp just how uniquely tennis and, in particular, Wimbledon is intertwined with our sense of national identity; they miss just how much the serial failure at Wimbledon has come to produce a lingering sense of national angst; they fail to grasp, ultimately, that it is tennis - not football, rugby or cricket - that is responsible for the enduring archetype of the plucky British loser.

It is obligatory, at this point, to mention Tim Henman, but the reality is that Tim was merely the latest “loser” in a story stretching for more than seven decades, the chap who brought the tale of national humiliation up to date and popularised it for a new generation. In truth, this is a story that has run and run since big Fred Perry hung up his racket, a story that has delivered a painful punchline every year for 72 years, a story where, if we are being brutally honest about it, the joke is on us.

You must have heard it? It has them guffawing in the aisles every time. The one about how the hosts of one of the oldest and most prestigious competitions get humiliated every year? Where they keep getting duffed up by faster, fitter, more exquisitely honed players from just about every other nation on the planet?

Think about it like this. Would Henman have been considered a failure if he had played any sport but tennis? Would he have been ridiculed if he had reached No 4 in the world at golf or snooker? Would he have become the latest incarnation of the plucky loser had he played darts or badminton? Of course not. Henman is regarded as a failure only because he played tennis, because his achievements were viewed through a prism of national paranoia.

It is for these reasons that a Murray victory would transcend the tramlines of Centre Court and sear deep into our national consciousness, eclipsing anything to have happened in British sport since Bobby raised the Jules Rimet trophy and Nobby danced a jig. It would redefine the way we think about our summers, the way we think about ourselves. It would change the national conversation, its tone and its tenor."

You can read it all at:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/tennis/article6613042.ece

I'm a Fed fan who's very very happy for Roddick. Both have gone through some real shockers in terms of heartbreaking losses and both have come through it stronger than ever.

The media and commentators gleefully predicted both their downfalls at various times, just as the media have overhyped Murray to a ludicrous extent, not just at Wimbledon, but by making him the favourite at the AO too.

Fans should follow the players' examples and take no notice of any of them.

Im SOOOO glad Roddick won this today, playing Murray in the final would have been a nightmare... i forgot Roddick totally shanked a volley set point down in the 3rd... but Murray was quite passive overall and his counterpunching style wasnt quite enough...

and again, how could you begrudge Andy a Wimby title? i feel like he's earned a little glory after all the humiliations from Fed over the years...

Pete:

Thanks, again. You seem to be hitting your stride these last few days.

Keep Smiling

Allez Federer! But a Roddick win wouldn't be so bad!!

I would love to see Andy pull off a fourth of July miracle (5th i guess). And should he win we could have an American sweep at wimby. Who'd a thunk it? But let's face it. Andy will have to play as well as he did today or better and Fed would have to be a little off..

Great Article. I am a devoted Federer fan, and I hope he will win it Sunday. But if anyone else, except the GOAT should win it, it should without a single second doubt, be Andy Roddick. Best of luck to both of them, and should the player who plays best come Sunday, walk away as the winner.

Roddick didn't come all-in on pairs of twos today. Nor did he fold a lot of winning hands.

I don't think he bluffed a lot, either. Played solid, waited until he had a good hand, managed his chips well. I thought his approach at 6-4 in the set 4 TB was an anomaly - and shades of the 6-4 point in YEC Shanghai 2006 RR vs Federer. He had two MPs a set up in that match, lost the TB, and that's part of your 18-2.

Roddick's victory, as Pete writes, was based on discipline and craft. It was veteran play.

Thank you so much for this article Pete! I will bookmark it and read back on it whenever I'm having a day where I feel like being a fan will never pay off =)

This is a sweet, sweet moment for Roddick fans. Whatever happens on Sunday, this new attitude that Roddick displayed today will take him far, and I look forward to seeing what the summer brings!

Actually really glad Roddick won. Murray is a churl and seems to have a big head. Not that Roddick doesn't have one as well, but Murray's smugness was inflated beyond tolerance by the fairweather UK fans.

Also what's up with the unbuttoned polo throughout the match. He looked like my beer-swigging uncle watching TV on the couch.

Anyway congrats to R. Federer for his upcoming 15th slam.

Happy Roddick won

Really Happy Federer won

Both really really really deserve to be in the final.

Roddick deserves ALL the praise he should reap for his attitude, determination, and game throughout his career - not just these past two weeks.

Whatever else he is - Andy's a hell of a competitor.

That said:

Hope to hell Roger wins the match, the tournament, the golden trophy, and his 15th GS title on Sunday.

Now - where are all the meds I'll need to keep my nerves in check?

SilentP - thanks for adding your voice. that just must have been so fun to be there today! Its funny, I too thought the crowds weren't terribly vocal today. They were supportive certainly, but not raise the roof/davis cup type of support. I actually think that's what RAndy was expecting.

Also thanks for defending RAndy today, i get so tired of people downplaying his career, which surely is one that almost any player would be proud of.

Wimbledon is such a bore with Nadal's absence and now with Murray out. So looks like Federer wins again....coz there is no way Roddick is going to. ARod's only chance to win even a set would be in a tiebreak...so his goal should be just that...hold serve and get to the tiebreak. I miss Rafa!!! I wanted to see a Fedal final!!

Andrew - I was struck by that same approach at 6-4 in the 4th set breaker, thought that was the thread that was going to cause the whole thing to unravel, but he played the next point beautifully, and earned a brilliantly fought win.

Great stuff, Pete - thanks. Here's hoping Sunday's final yields something new and compelling to round out these last few days...

Good Sir Pete -

Fine writing and fine analysis, as usual.

But speaking of "high-falutin" - "brobdignian"?!?!?!?

That's OK. All good word smiths make up words from time to time. Or in this case, spell 'em wrong.

But if Roddick hopes to beat Federer on Sunday, he'll need more than his hugely powerful serve and an improved net game.

He'll need a BROBDINGNANIAN miracle.

Here is RAndy's tweet:

126 home.... 2 left

Does anyone else think that Tim Henman, who was alteernately put up on a pedestal and eviscerated by the British press, might be feeling just a TEEENY amount of vindication w/Murray going out in the semis? Some part of him saying, "SEE!!! I TOLD you it wasn't so easy!!! Sometimes you even lose to people you should defeat. As WELL as lose to people you should lose to. So there!!"

I was traveling all day and saw very little of the tennis, so only saw the result around 5:30 pm TW time. I am SO thrilled for Andy Roddick. This is the fruit of so much hard work and so much fighting spirit. People thought the era of Roddick making slam finals was over--it's not. He took the initiative to get a new coach, to try new strategies, to work on his fitness. And now he gets another try at the slam he's always dreamed of winning, of achieving the only goal he hasn't yet achieved out of the four he set for himself when he started his pro career. I'll be rooting for Federer, but I won't be frazzling much in this final--if Andy Roddick wins, I'll be very happy. The storyline I've always been the most receptive to is the "older" player who suffers setbacks and comes back to win what he's always wanted just when he's been counted out. And that he did it with great approach shots, great volleys, is just wonderful to hear. Even though I'm not a huge fan of his style of play, I'm still in a really buoyant mood--hard work and positive attitude like Andy Roddick's should be celebrated.

Maybe this is the year of long-held dreams fulfilled: Rafa finally winning a hard court slam, Roger finally winning the French, Andy finally winning Wimbledon.

An all court game from Andy Roddick with a serene approach!! What a surprise! All credit to him to keep trying and improving. As a Federer fan, I thought Roddick in the finals was better than Murray. Murray has given him a lot of trouble in the recent past. But the way Roddick played today, FedEx better watch out. I think we have 2 interesting finals which will be closely fought. No blowouts like the Venus - Safina match. Thank God!

Brilliant writing. Thank you again for another masterpiece, Mr. Bodo.

"The Nadal and Federer of Tennis Writing."

Randy's performance won a lot of fans today. However, Nadal has won the French & Wimbledon back to back but not Fed. Who knows if there will be another chance for Fed to achieve that so sorry, Randy, you will have to wait till the US Open final for my support. Hope you both can play at today's level on Sunday though.

thanks for the write up Pete.

I'm thrilled for AndyR. Thrilled. I hope he can make a surprise on Sunday.

He has upped his game in every match. He's going to have to go into orbit on Sunday. I hope he does.

quoting BG: 3 sets to the finish line, big guy!

Without taking anything away from Roddick's good performance, it is probably more accurate to say Murray lost the match. With only half his first serves in, he had to deliver 70 second serves to Roddick's 35 with a similar win percentage of about half.

Second, he played too far behind the baseline and rarely tried to work his way to the net. Such passivity proves fatal if your own service game is below par. (Compare Federer against Dr Ivo, when Roger refused to be pushed more than a metre behind the baseline.)

Roddick's consistent attemps to get to the net (in 75 points) was made all the easier by Murray's passivity, which is just as well since even the improved Roddick is only a middling volleyer.

I suspect Sunday will again show a clear difference in class between Roddick and Federer.

Just one stunning match and this Roddick has captured my heart! Amazing! I admit I never really liked him before. Well done, Andy-R! I'd be happy whoever wins the final.

I now think Andy can win Sunday- he knows he can beat Roger, and he now "knows" that he needs to be cool, calm and purposeful- plus he's coming off 2 of the most gutsy wins of his career (reminds me of his lone GSlam title run, saving MP against Nalbandian) Andy is a good enough ball striker to beat Fed, and Pete has pointed out what will win him the title, a solid mind. This is what Fed (and Rafa) do so well and what I really believe makes them such great champions, they keep their wits about them no matter what happens on court or how many balls are played during a point-- most players seem to bail as the tension of a single point gets greater during play. Should be s great final

Congrats to Roddick on a great win over Murray and his 3rd trip to the Wimby finals...But honestly, if you aren't a deluded Roddick fan or a total Fedfan, what is the motivation to watch the men's final? We've seen this match 20 times before and we know what the outcome is. Fed in straights, probably something like 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. I heard Mac, Ted Robinson and Mary Carillo talk about the new Roddick (and he looked great against Murray), but it's not going to happen. They get paid to make the future matches sound exciting. This one, however, has anticlimactic snoozer written all over it. I would have loved to have watch Fed fight Murray and the crowd, with the Queen there...that would have been exciting however it turned out (as would a Fed-Rafa IV)...

What we've seen with Rafa hurt for the last 5 weeks is that nobody else on the men's tour has a game to even challenge Fed (who I have to imagine has to be savoring this brief respite while Rafa ice's his knees). Fed has been transported back in a time machine to 2005. The guys on tour who could conceivably push him and at least provide a match I would want to watch take an early bow - Thank you Mssrs. Murray, Djokovic and Tsonga. Instead, we get to watch the likes of Soderling, Haas (twice! @ 31YO), Dr. Ivo, Gael Monfils and now Andy Roddick bring their combined 5 victories in a million matches against him. To be more precise, in 4 weeks of Grand Slam play, Federer will have had a combined record of 82-7 at the time he faced them (and that includes Tommy Haas twice who accounts for 2 of those wins from 2000 and 2002 repeated since they played twice). The prospect of sitting through all that is enough to make one want to take a nap.

This match just looked like Roddick had become the player that everyone wanted him to be. He literally did everything that pundits have ever asked of him. He bludgeoned the forehand, showed off an impressive backhand, and looked impressive at net as he came in again and again. But most important was the return. The match as a whole illustrated just how important the first serve is in the men's game today. Murray's first serve is among the best in the world, his second is one of the most pathetic you'll see. I think the biggest part of the match was watching Roddick take that second serve on with his backhand. It was kind of strange to see Murray hit that same second serve in the same place again and again instead of keeping Roddick off balance. Everytime Murray went to the backhand he got rocked by the return, he should have been going at the forehand from time to time because when he did it took Roddick by surprise.

I love Fed by the way, with all my tennis heart, but I want Andy to win on sunday. He should have won at least four majors based on his talent, he deserves at least two for all that hard work. Plus I think Roger will be in more slam finals than Roddick over the next couple years, he'll have his chances.

Jbrad, just curious, why do you think Andy knows he can beat Roddick now? You know your stuff, so I'd like to hear more. I still just can't see it happening, as much as I'd like the feel good story to continue.

Thanks for the report, SilentP. I don't think the crowds have quite got to the Henmania state yet. I was pleased Andy R had some support there though. :) It felt like a fair and good-natured atmosphere.

Also, agree with some other posts that not everybody here likes Murray, or liked Henman, come to that.

and thanks, RoGER - fwiw, I'm British and live here. *shrug* And I was a Henman KAD...I'd simply rather laugh at it all than make any other response. :)

Guess the broken-hearted bit will come after the next 5 semi-final losses, one from two sets and a break up. ;-)

Sherlock. Like Andrew mentioned that YC match, or Roddick during that USO Quartefinal a few years ago when he played well but Fed still won. Fed won every critical point in those matches by staying totally focused and calm. Roddick had chances but basically bungled them. He hit poor approach shots, missed easy volleys, hit first serves and expected them to be unreturnable and Yet Fed returned enough of them to rattle Andy. But no player wins by hitting outright winners all the time-- and Andy has always had the neccessary shots to beat anyone but against the Champions like Fed he's been unable to stay in the really crucial points mentally. That's why Rafa beats Fed when he does. Rafa just stays in the moments a little bit longer than Fed. Except maybe RG 2008. Fed didn't show up that day.

Fascinating, Jbrad. Thanks, man. :)

I'm a diehard cynic, but I'll try to be more open-minded about Sunday after reading your posts. :)

Just thought I'd point this out:

Men's final - 1 American
Women's final - 2 Americans
Men's doubles final - 2 Americans; really should've been all 4
Women's doubles final - 2 Americans

Death of American tennis predicted, etc.

against any other player i usually like to see RAndy win. Including the coming final against Fed. But this semi i really hope Murray win, not because i am from UK (i'm not) but because Murray has more of a fighting chance against Federer. RAndy is kinda of jinxed against Fed, aagainst anyone he is a top 5 player, against Fed, he always play like a teenager. No offence, but it is true, really hope the sunday final will prove me wrong! Good luck, RAndy.

It's funny how my sentiments echo that of so many people here. This very Wimbledon has turned me into a Roddick fan. Nearly 5 years ago I thought of him as Sampras clone that would rely on the serve and volley, what at the time I felt was a very tired form of tennis. And perhaps it was because of that, I took very strongly to Federer's very refined style of play. However, today, I can rest easy knowing that I'll be very satisfied regardless of the winner come Sunday.

The typical blablabla of Bodo and the American version of English hype, more moderated and technically sound, hiding behind an intricate barrage of words, but hype anyway.
Roddick will be spanked as usual. No, will be not him to stop Federer from let your buddy Pete behind, but i am expecting to see Bodo impersonating jimmy jump in the third set...

Great article Pete

Thanks Pete for your great insights into the game.

Well I saw a different Roddick on the court today.Must I say me likey very much.I have never seen him hit his ground shots so well off the ground was the attacker in the game also where did he become such a volley player at net?

Murray just seemed content to stay at the baseline and be the counter puncher? with ko great game plan in mind.Well he left it too late and we saw who the winner was Andy Roddick who took his chances on every point.

I think Murrays game is better suited to a h/court I have always said that.Maybe at the US OPEN he may get that Grand Slam title.Though he cant afford to play so passive on a h/court either.

Andy has played well throughout this tournament and deserves to be in the final.

Ok Roger is the favourite.Though this is a new day.Never underestimate the other player over that net regardless if you have a winning margin over them,it may just be your undoing.

Another take on this is that Roddick's victory over Murray shows the latter would not have been up to taking on Federer either. Certainly, if the Roddick game we just saw had been played against Fed, Andy would unquestionably have lost.

Sunday may prove me wrong, but I suspect we will see a gulf between the good and the best, though I hope Roddick can take a set if only to maintain interest.

Great piece Pete. I think all the sports pundits had Murray taking this one away. Yet, early in the first set I just sensed that Andy had decided to finally stick with his prematch strategy and not abandon it as he usually does when he starts to panic. I think the true test for Roddick's evolution will come on Sunday as he faces Roger, who always seemms to get him off his game. I think this match-up is fantastic and is a great story arc in tennis, Roddick will really get to see how far he has come and whether the weightloss and new coach has paid off. What a wonderful affirmation of his belief and hard work to make it to Wimbledon final! Here's to perservering, Roddick has won me over; though Fed is still my champion!

Roddick played a great match, and employed tactics that were *sound* as well as effective. With all due credit to him, though, I find it interesting that there's no acknowledgment of Stefanki's contribution. Dropping 10-15 pounds and improving his fitness such that he has both the endurance and ability to move so much better than he used to are clear hallmark's of Stefanki's tutelage.

Murray hit 99.9% of his second serves as a kick serve to Roddick's backhand. Roddick recognized it and keyed on it and made him pay dearly. Odd that Murray couldnn't recognize it...

Aww, so much word on this, crazyone:

[I was traveling all day and saw very little of the tennis, so only saw the result around 5:30 pm TW time. I am SO thrilled for Andy Roddick. This is the fruit of so much hard work and so much fighting spirit. People thought the era of Roddick making slam finals was over--it's not. He took the initiative to get a new coach, to try new strategies, to work on his fitness. And now he gets another try at the slam he's always dreamed of winning, of achieving the only goal he hasn't yet achieved out of the four he set for himself when he started his pro career. I'll be rooting for Federer, but I won't be frazzling much in this final--if Andy Roddick wins, I'll be very happy. The storyline I've always been the most receptive to is the "older" player who suffers setbacks and comes back to win what he's always wanted just when he's been counted out. And that he did it with great approach shots, great volleys, is just wonderful to hear. Even though I'm not a huge fan of his style of play, I'm still in a really buoyant mood--hard work and positive attitude like Andy Roddick's should be celebrated.

Maybe this is the year of long-held dreams fulfilled: Rafa finally winning a hard court slam, Roger finally winning the French, Andy finally winning Wimbledon. ]

This is exactly how I feel.

Argh, I'm a Brit and I'm glad Murray is finally out. The one-sided commentary was getting unbearable (I'd almost resolved to watch the final on mute if Murray was in it), and I couldn't flick to the tennis pages of a newspaper without being beaten over the head with Murray-mania. I can understand why the press like to hype these things up, but I wish people would spend less time griping about the lack of a British champion, and more celebrating the fact that we're home to the best tennis tournament in the world.
So yeah, I'm glad Roddick won from that point of view, but I'm also glad because he played some fantastic tennis. I'm a massive fan of Federer, but I think if I were transported in time to Sunday evening and saw Roddick clutching the trophy, I wouldn't really mind too much, because I'll know that some phenomenal tennis will have been played en route by both players. I really can't wait till the final tomorrow (though of course I'll be sad that Wimbledon is over) - hope it's a great match!

In truth, this is a story that has run and run since big Fred Perry hung up his racket, a story that has delivered a painful punchline every year for 72 years, a story where, if we are being brutally honest about it, the joke is on us

http://www.nowgoal.com/22.shtml

Well written as always Pete. I watched the whole match save the second set. I very much agree that the key was not the serve. Andy has always had the serve. The difference was Andy's ability to stay within himself. He gave Murray a few openings with which Murray didn't execute. But unlike in the past where Roddick may have rushed past his mistakes only to make more, he stayed measured and patient and displayed some beautiful tennis in key moments. Roddicks gave proved to be well rounded by the end. To see Andy come up with the type of tennis he played was well deserved and heartwarming. What strikes me though is how wee bit tight Murray was. In the early stages of the first set Murray was in command of every key extended rally. Roddick had the scortching serve as usual but there was a time early in the match where I think Murray could have gotten to Roddick mentally. He didn't and as a result Roddick was able to stay within himself and play one amazing match. I am so happy for Roddick and all his fans. I also very much agree with crazyone and some of the other TMF crew here. As much as I want to see Fed holding that trophy tomorrow I won't be too disappointed to see Andy holding it. Andy went back to the drawing board, but in the hard yards and is reaping the well deserved rewards.

One interesting point Murray made in his inteview yesterday is the Roger isn't really that great a returner. Its a valid point when he plays Rafa and some others. However, Roger has always looked like a fabulous returner when playing Roddick. Crayzone, Andrew and others have commented on this in past Roddick V Roger matches. I think we'll know tomorrow if there's a tell on Roddick's serve that only Roger has figured out!

Oh my...call me a meenie, but Fed all the way!!! Getting that trophy back means the world to him and I want him to succeed. Go Fed!!!

We can talk again at the US Open

Well I'm happy Roddick made it to the final again. And as an American I should be pulling for Roddick. BUT I'm for Federer 100% all the way!!!!!! Let's go Roger, let's go!!! I want that #15 tomorrow. I have no guilty feelings either. In fact, the easier the match tomorrow - the better for me! I won't mind a short 3 set match for Roger, if possible either. Yes... I'm selfish. Go Roger!

Getting that trophy back means the world to him? Because he's won so few? :)

Has Roddick played Federer badly in the last 2 years? You be the judge. 75% of matches went 3 sets on two surfaces. 1 match was a straight sets demolition, at this year's Australian Open. So if the recent past in an indicator, Roddick should give himself chances. If the complete past is an indicator, it's Federer by a mile.

May 2009: Federer d. Roddick, Madrid, Red Clay 7-5, 6-7, 6-1

March 2009: Federer d. Roddick, Miami, Hard Courts, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4

January 2009: Federer d. Roddick, Austral. Open, Hard Courts, 6-2, 7-5, 7-5

March 2008: Roddick d. Federer, Miami, Hard Courts, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3

Relative to 'going out to pasture', isn't Roddick actually younger than Federer?

Anyone who watched Roddick at Madrid and Roland Garros, playing with gusto and no tension, could see he had reinvented himself and become a real threat. I was really looking forward to seeing a Nadal-Roddick match at Wimbledon. Anything could have happened.

Anyone who is penciling in Roger for no. 6 is being very premature. God knows, Federer has surprised the world before by elevating to unreal heights. But this is not the same ol' Andy Roddick.

Sherlock - because its Wimbledon. :-)

nice writeup Pete, though i'd differ slightly in analysis of the match to agree with JohnC's 1st post and that of calbearo's post, as well.

MAndy lost the match despite his passivity simply b/c his 1st serve percentage was quite low.

Whereas MAndy has an even or better than 50% chance of beating TMF due to MAndy's better return of serve capability (best in the game along with Rafa) and better defensive skills, RAndy's chances of beating TMF are similar to the 10% historical win rate. Although RAndy's game against Murray was exceptional, perhaps his best performance on grass ever, RAndy's only average return of service and scrambling ability will allow Roger to hold serve easily, while Roger's more aggressive groundstroke tactics will enable TMF to break RAndy the critical once a set a couple of times to avoid a complete tiebreaker fest tomorrow.

MAndy is simply a far better matchup against TMF. All kudos to RAndy, but I suspect as I wake up 'round noon TMF will almost be done finishing RAndy in straight sets or at worst in four sets having lost one tiebreaker.

crazyone @ 10:14pm this page - thanks for doing all the hard work finding just the right words. I feel the same way!