Britain expects, but peerless Roger Federer is still the man to beat as he chases history

James Olley
19 Jun 2009

There is, perhaps, no other tennis arena where history takes so prominent a role as Wimbledon's Centre Court and the 123rd staging of the
Championships seem set to re-define the men's game.

Great sportsmen have always had a keen sense of timing and, in the centenary year of Fred Perry's birth, Andy Murray has never been in better shape as he looks to end Britain's 73-year wait for a men's grand slam champion.

But the principal opponent standing in his way is arguably the finest player there has been, looking to settle that dispute once and for all by surpassing American Pete Sampras with an unprecedented 15th major title.

Roger Federer became only the sixth player to win all four slams in securing an emotional victory at Roland Garros earlier this month but the weight of expectation nearly consumed him. Twice he needed five sets to see off opponents but, willed on by the backing of a partisan crowd, he delivered and can now play at SW19 with a degree of freedom because that was the title he really wanted. He has earned it.

Murray must now prove he can handle everything that comes with attempting to join the pantheon of major title winners amid a hype that has reached fever pitch days before the serious stuff even begins on Monday.

“The anticipation is as big as it's ever been because of the Federer, Nadal and Murray factors. It's going to be fascinating to see how that plays out,” said Tim Henman, the previous owner of the great British hope' sobriquet.

“Given the way Andy has played to reach No3 in the world, it had a huge impact on him as a person and a player. He is calmer and more mature and his belief is enormous — why wouldn't it be? The next stage is to do it in a grand slam event over five sets.”

That was something four-times semi-finalist Henman never quite achieved and if Murray is to continue on upward curve, he must iron out the inconsistencies that were so markedly identified in his four-set defeat by Fernando Gonzalez in the French Open. Having hauled himself level at one set all, Murray won only seven points in the subsequent 24 minutes to concede the third and, with it, the momentum in the match that he would never recover.

In mitigation, the Scot may have fared better on grass and would undoubtedly have received greater crowd support had that match been at Wimbledon.
World No8 Gilles Simon, not unfamiliar in dealing with the expectations of a nation in his native France, said: “Andy is a very good player on grass. He's already had good results but, just because he won at Queen's, it doesn't mean he is going to win anywhere else.

“Wimbledon is seven best-of-five set matches and has a completely different atmosphere. You have to maintain a high level for much longer and the crowd can be a help or not depending on who you are.”

Murray has a 6-2 winning record against Federer but has never beaten him over five sets, while he avenged last year's comprehensive defeat by Rafael Nadal at the quarter-final stage with victory in the US Open.

With Nadal dogged by knee problems and Federer's feeling of invincibility restored, it is undoubtedly the Swiss who represents the biggest danger. Novak Djokovic is probably a step behind, ahead of a group including Juan Martin Del Potro, Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gonzalez, all of whom are yet to show their best on the green stuff, while Andy Roddick's one-dimensional game appears mismatched in comparison with the top four.

There is just a chink in Federer's armour created by Nadal's heroics last July that leave many to believe that, to borrow a line from the BBC's Wimbledon trailer, “the toughest game of all may be against himself”.

Murray's allegiance to Fred Perry clothing ensures the hand of history will be firmly on the 22-year-old's shoulders and he said: “It might all be coincidence that it would have been Fred's 100th birthday a few weeks ago. I am going to give it my best shot and I think I've got a chance but it is going to be much easier said than done.”

Quite true because, for all the progress Murray has made, it would represent something of an upset should he win the tournament if for no other reason than the fact Federer and Nadal have contested the previous three finals.

American novelist Kurt Vonnegut once wrote: “History is merely a list of surprises. It can only prepare us to be surprised yet again.”
Let's hope so.