WIMBLEDON LIVE: Heading for glory! Murray's day of destiny as Briton aims to crush Roddick's America
Date published :
03 Jul 2009 - 13:24:54
Andy Murray's game on Monday certainly provided the nation with a great piece of theatre, but I think for sheer drama I would go for Serena's semi-final victory.
Simply a joy to watch.
12.48: The sun has come out at Wimbledon and we are set fair for the first semi-final. You have to be impressed with a superb fortnight thus far from the German Tommy Haas. He was splendid in Wednesday's quarter-final win over Novak Djokovic and will be playing on the biggest stage of his tennis life today.
They're showing the semis on the big screens on Court Two today. What a good idea! Laura Williamson, 12.10pm 12.37: Britain's No 1 Murray will surely gain confidence from his fine record against Roddick, with six wins from eight meetings, including a fine victory at last year's Masters Cup in Shanghai. Their only previous meeting at a Grand Slam came at Wimbledon in 2006, when Murray won comfortable in straight sets.
12.30: I'm looking forward to seeing plenty of your emails today. This is not the time to be shy folks. What do you think of today's semi-finals?
For what it's worth, I'm going to stick my neck out and predict a Federer v Murray final.
12.24: Who he I hear you cry? This is Bunny Austin, the last British man to reach the Wimbledon singles final in 1936.
Henry 'Bunny' Austin reached the men's singles final at Wimbledon in 1938
12.15: Excitement among the crowd will be enormous today at the All England Club. It would be even more enormous of course if they allowed more genuine tennis fans in - but it has been ever thus.
Plenty of fans were in the queue for Wimbledon this morning
12.12: News reaches me that Murray will be watched by members of the Royal Family this afternoon.
Among the spectators in the Royal Box will be the Duke of York, Princess Alexandra, Princess Michael of Kent and the Duchess of Gloucester.
Tennis greats Bjorn Borg, Ilie Nastase, Rod Laver and Guillermo Vilas are alsodue to be present on semi-final day.
Among the non-tennis celebrities will be Sir David Frost, Sir Michael Parkinson and Dame Maggie Smith.
Top Parky moment? Enough to fill a book with.
There was the Ali interviews, the introduction of Billy Connolly to the British public, that Emu moment.
I reckon Sir David could still do a job on the Sunday morning sofa, so clever he was at charming our top politicians and catching them off their guard.
12.05: There was fair bit of heavy rain in London overnight, but even though it feels a few degrees cooler it is still fairly muggy.
The forecast suggests we could be in for some more rain this afternoon, which could force the Murray semi-final under the roof.
12.00: Roger Federer is first up on Centre Court.
The Swiss legend takes on Tommy Haas in a semi-final the whole world expects him to win. He could well win it in three sets.
11.55: Andy Murray aims to reach the Wimbledon final today. If he makes it, we would be witnessing a genuinely historic moment in our sporting lives. Former finalist Andy Roddick will have plenty to say about it though in what should be a splendid semi-final.
11.45: All days in sport are big days in my world - but this has something a little special about it. Good morning to you.
Heading for success: Andy Murray heads a tennis ball over the net with during yesterday's light training session
