Rafael Nadal ends British title hopes at Wimbledon
Rafael Nadal has ended British hopes of a home-grown Wimbledon champion with a 6-3, 7-6, 6-4 victory over Andy Murray in the semi-finals.
While little separated the pair in a high-class semi-final, it was the world No. 1's ability to conjure a winner on the points that mattered that in the end proved the difference between the Grand Slam champion and the man who so desperately wants to be one.
Indeed, if Murray’s serve can be used as a barometer of his game, then the Scot began the match in fine form as by the end of his fourth service game he’d produced three aces and was serving with a first serve percentage of 75%, and winning 87% of points on his first serve. It’s also telling that Murray’s second serve was having an impact as he won 60% of points on second serve over the same timeframe.
Across the other side of the net though was an opponent who is arguably the toughest to defeat in men’s tennis right now, and in Murray’s fifth service game - the game where the fourth seed produced his first double fault of the day along with two more aces - Nadal pounced on a couple of serves (Murray’s second serve percentage dropping to 43% after that game), set up break point and secured the first break of the semi-final.
It was all the 2008 Wimbledon champion needed to go on and take the 1-0 lead in the match after a high- quality opening set where he’d produced just one unforced error to Murray’s five.
The British No. 1’s serve continued to hold up in the second set – where he didn’t lose a point on his first serve for the first five games – and as Murray continued to pressure the Spaniard on his serve, it was the local hope who gained the first chance to break for the set.
However, Nadal, possessed of an uncanny ability to produce his best tennis at the moments where it counts most, saved the double break point chance as he unleashed some massive ground strokes on his counterpunching opponent to level the score at 4-4 for the set.
They were to be the only break point opportunities either player could generate for the set as it headed to what was a must-win tiebreak for Murray.
Crosscourt backhand handed Murray the mini-break and 2-0 lead; but he blew it when he netted a crosscourt forehand to level the breaker at 2-2. Nadal handed Murray the first set point of the tiebreak with a double fault but saved it with a backhand crosscourt volley and then went on to create one of his own, which he duly won as a frustrated Murray tested his racquet’s ability to bounce off the worn grass of centre court.
Murray may have been standing at the foot of his own personal Everest by the start of the third set, but in breaking Nadal’s serve to love in its opening game, the 23-year-old gave every indication that he was at least going to attempt to climb it.
After having been denied the chance to challenge on Murray’s serve until the eighth game of the set, Nadal finally found himself with a chance to break back, but was at first denied by some more strong serving by the Australian Open runner-up, before gaining a second opportunity to do so. And as Murray approached the net and sent a forehand into it, games were back on serve.
Two games later, a netted forehand by the Scot brought up match point for Nadal, and when Murray sent a forehand volley long the next point, the second seed’s passage to the final had been sealed.
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