Moment Murray ends GB's 74-year wait
Wimbledon 2012: Andy Murray beats Tsonga to reach final
WIMBLEDON
- Venue: All England Club, London
- Date: 25 June - 8 July
Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBC Two, BBC HD Channel, Red Button, BBC Radio 5 live, mobiles, tablet and the BBC Sport website. Men's and women's singles finals in 3D on BBC HD Channel.
Andy Murray became the first British man in 74 years to reach the Wimbledon singles final with a battling four-set victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
The 25-year-old took a step that no compatriot had managed in 11 attempts since Bunny Austin in 1938.
He overwhelmed Tsonga 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-5 in two hours 47 minutes on Centre Court and faces 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in Sunday's showpiece.
Murray 'relieved & excited' by final
Fred Perry was the last British man to lift a major singles title in 1936.
Perry triumphed at Wimbledon and the US Open that season, and Murray will be desperate to emulate the Englishman's achievement.
It is his fourth Grand Slam final but the first at a venue where Federer is bidding for a record-equalling seventh crown.
While the Swiss offers formidable opposition, Murray will be confident of fulfilling the hopes of a nation after dispatching Tsonga.
"I feel a bit of relief, excitement, it's tough to explain," the Scot told BBC Sport. "It was such a close match in the end, both of us had chances.
"I started well, had one loose game on my serve at the beginning of the third set and he came back into it.
"It was tough to lose that set - I tried to stay calm but it's not easy. There's a lot of pressure when you're on the court, but you've just got to focus.
"I did well because he started to play really well. He had break points at 4-4 [in the fourth set] and I just managed to hang tough."
Match stats
| Murray | Tsonga | |
|---|---|---|
|
9 |
Aces |
11 |
|
134mph |
Fastest serve |
140mph |
|
60% |
First serves |
63% |
|
40 |
Winners |
47 |
|
12 |
Unforced errors |
42 |
|
4/12 |
Break points |
2/8 |
|
13/30 |
Net pts |
45/76 |
It was a deserved victory that ended a run of three straight semi-final defeats at the All England Club, yet one that many expected.
Having lost to Andy Roddick in 2009 and Rafael Nadal in 2010 and 2011, Murray knew this was probably his best chance of reaching the final.
He had won five of their six previous meetings, including a Wimbledon quarter-final in 2009 and last year's championship match at Queen's Club.
Tsonga is capable of the spectacular, but he was given few chances in the first two sets as Murray played some imperious tennis.
He broke in the opening game, served his way out of trouble to lead 3-1 and moved 5-2 ahead with one of numerous crosscourt forehand winners.
Murray was in the ascendancy and his brilliance continued in the second set as two venomous returns helped him strike in game five.
Murray makes history in fourth set
The fourth seed dropped only two points on serve to leave Tsonga looking helpless, but the Frenchman let loose early in the third set and it paid off.
A break to love had the fifth seed roaring with delight and suddenly he was dictating from the net and baseline. Now it was Murray cutting a dejected figure.
Not even the agony of being hit between the legs could halt Tsonga's charge and after forcing his way back into the match, he overturned an early break in the fourth set with a delightful half-volley.
Diving and tumbling around the grass, Tsonga came up with a huge forehand to force break points at 4-4 but, crucially, Murray dug deep before engineering an opportunity of his own at 6-5.
He planted a crosscourt forehand on to the sideline and although it was called wide, a Hawk-Eye challenge was successful and Murray pointed to the sky in celebration.
Comments
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Comment number 578. Posted by Dr_Ads
on 8 Jul 2012 18:21Federer: Greatest Of All Time
The debate is now over, not for that low-key final, but for the way he beat the Joker in the semi-final. 17 singles slam wins (& another 9 finals) in the most competitive era of mens tennis ever seen, feats that will never be repeated.
ALL should bow down to the master, art & sport combined - there's nothing better. -
Comment number 577. Posted by asportinginsight
on 8 Jul 2012 18:12This comment was removed because it broke the house rules. Explain
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Comment number 576. Posted by Brad Watson Miami
on 8 Jul 2012 17:48A TV commentator just referred to Federer's "God-given ability". We are not born with "gifts", what kind of 'GOD' would that be?! Reincarnation provides our current incarnation the talents and information from our previous life/lives. Find a great tennis player that died within a few years before Roger Federer was born and you may have found his 'gifts'!
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Comment number 575. Posted by Freedom2014
on 8 Jul 2012 17:47Gutted for him, he gave it his all and thats all you can ask.
Just happened to be up against the GOAT who was magnificent.
Love all these people on here taking cheap shots at him, as though they have ever achieved anything worthwhile in their sad lives.
Scotland salutes you Andy Murray -
Comment number 574. Posted by petesamprasforever
on 8 Jul 2012 17:39As long as one of the big three is around Murray will never win a major.
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Comment number 573. Posted by Stamp
on 8 Jul 2012 17:38Congratulations Federer, he deserved to win, they both played well!
Congratulations also to Murray for making it to the finals, great to have a Scot in second place.
Andy was so overwhelmed & humbled by the whole thing he struggled to speak through his tears, it was very moving, I think we all got to see just how sensitive a guy he really is. -
Comment number 572. Posted by truthsayer5115
on 8 Jul 2012 17:32Congratulations to Roger Federer for yet again creating history. Andy you'll get your chance be patient and remember the US Open isn't far away and this is still your best opportunity
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Comment number 570. Posted by Luther_Wesley-Baxter
on 8 Jul 2012 17:20That Scottish bloke lost in a Grand Slam Final again.
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Comment number 569. Posted by Jonathan Halling Politics grad and entrepreneur
on 8 Jul 2012 17:16To AM, theres always next year! and some advice, stop feeling sorry for yourself and show some aggression on court, then...maybe...you'll win more support!
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