He rescues it with a big serve out wide and then blams down an ace. He sees out the game with a dreamy backhand. Yours egotistically. Peruse away but don't take your eyes off the tennis or this game-by-game report. Verdasco isn't planning on going anywhere and from down he drags it back to all. Murray responds with an ace. That's the way. His serve has let him down so far. He then gets away with one as Verdasco nets a backhand that probably should have been drifting past Murray.
A backhand pass at sees to that. So does a Verdasco double-fault to make it , though that's a bit more tentative.
They've still got a sense of decorum. It's not British to gloat, though they can't help themselves when Verdasco somehow nets a smash to offer up two break points.
And Verdasco nets a forehand! It's on! Sort of. A double-fault is an inauspicious way to start the third set. At all, he then sends a simple forehand wide. He keeps doing it. It's crazy. At , he dumps a forehand volley into the net. What is going on? Poor Kim has no idea. She's distressed. Somehow Murray finds a way to hold. I say somehow. Verdasco netted a forehand. Verdasco tightens up and goes down What follows is extraordinary. There are several moments when it looks like Murray is done for but Verdasco can't kill him off with his forehands.
The crowd start to roar Murray on during the point and he feeds off it, finally flicking a dainty forehand from right to left for a lead. Murray then mishits a forehand return but it's enough to unbalance Verdasco and his forehand goes wide to make it One goes. Murray nets a tame backhand. Another goes.
Murray dabs a forehand return long and it's all the encouragement Verdasco needs. He saves the third with a coruscating forehand. Murray went passive again and Verdasco is two points from the set. One when Murray sneezes a drop-shot into the net, a drop-shot that isn't even worth talking about.
It's set point. Oh dear. Murray knocks a forehand long. That sound you can hear is a sharp intake of breath across the nation. Plus Murray swearing at himself. He can barely believe it. But right now, there's no sign of it. It's Verdasco who's battering the fuzz off the ball and a explosive cross-court forehand makes it Murray then produces a stinker of a forehand into the net to make it He gets it back to but another dreadful forehand into the net gives Verdasco two break points. Belatedly the crowd tries to rouse him.
He needs something. He doesn't need a Verdasco forehand to clip the top of the net and land dead on his side. Rotten luck but luck's got little to do with it right now. Verdasco will serve for a two-set lead. It's the only viable explanation for this horror show from Murray. To Verdasco's credit, although there have been some wild errors, he has done extremely well to seize the initiative when it matters.
Above all, Murray is struggling to deal with his serve. All of a sudden, the pressure is back on Murray,. When that happens, he falls behind the baseline and when he falls behind the baseline, he finds him down Verdasco then does brilliantly to stay in the next rally and making Murray play one more short brings its rewards as Murray nets a volley to offer up two break points. He should save the first but inexplicably clunks a forehand miles past the baseline.
He's all over the place. Two, one on each side, makes it But three huge forehands from Verdasco makes it and a second serve ace reminds Murray there's still plenty of work to do. Some things never change. But this match seems to be. You feel this is a big moment but Verdasco responds with a fizzing ace out wide and an unreturnable serve to make it all.
Thing about Verdasco, though, is he that goes from the sublime to the ridiculous so quickly and he gives Murray a break point with a forehand that misses by miles. Murray uses the cross-court backhand again and he overpowers Verdasco, who can only send his forehand wide.
He's finally up and running. The benefits of positivity. Murray in 4. He was so passive, allowing Verdasco to control it, and was asking for the final twist all along. He has to raise his game quickly because otherwise this is going to be a grim afternoon's work. All you can say is that Verdasco had nothing to lose at the start and now he does.
Verdasco holds to love. But this won't. Murray tries a drop-shot and Verdasco gets the benefit of a net-cord. That happened so much against Youzhny. Another powderpuff second serve from Murray allows Verdasco to step in and hammer a cross-court backhand return past him for Murray is living dangerously. Murray almost sends a forehand down the line and Verdasco basically stops, meaning his forehand does go long.
The call never came. But Verdasco soon has a break point, unleashing a storming forehand from right to left. He's bang up for this now. Even more so when Murray double-faults.
Centre Court winces and it's nothing less than Verdasco deserves. Murray has stunk the place out, to be perfectly honest. That's the first set Murray has lost.
When he misses with it, it's a liability. It's fair to say he's not a HawkEye player. A 10th error on that side makes it but Verdasco's power is too much for Murray to contain on the next point. And then, finally, we see the best of Murray.
He pulls Verdasco all over the shop but there's nothing he can do about a backhand down the line to make it Verdasco is blowing a bit harder after that but he summons up some extra energy to reach a Murray backhand and batter a forehand down the line. Murray's forehand goes into the net to make it all. But then, an opening.
Verdasco double-faults to give Murray his second break point of the match. He couldn't take the first. Verdasco's first two serves clip the net. These are nervy times but Verdasco doesn't crumble. Murray then sends a slice and a backhand long and Verdasco holds.
Something's up here. So Verdasco hits it. All of a sudden, Murray is in trouble. A 78mph second serve allows Verdasco to take control and this time he doesn't miss a forehand to make it Murray needs to start attacking, otherwise this could get ugly. This is more like the Murray of two years ago, the passive Murray who would wait for his opponent to miss rather than playing the match on his terms. Luckily enough, though, three big first serves take him to Now to maintain that aggression.
He doesn't maintain that aggression. A 76mph second serve, a forehand into the net and it's deuce. But Verdasco drifts a lob long and then dips into his collection of missed forehands.
I wasn't looking. Murray is trying to tempt Verdasco into big shots, knowing that the Spaniard can be wild occasionally and it works on the next point, a forehand flying long. However it does mean that Verdasco can go on the offensive and dictate rallies with his forehand, as he does to make it Murray is being a bit too passive though Verdasco is so hit and miss, as proven when he swings a forehand volley long to make it all.
But Murray then nets a tame forehand return and Verdasco comes up with another ace. Murray's a bit frustrated at the moment. Is he trying to wear Verdasco out? The danger is Verdasco will keep on going. He could learn a thing or two from Michael McIntyre, who's been in his seat since the start of the match. It's all about timing, you see. Murray would agree. He bides his time and then wins the first point with a subtle forehand from right to left at the net.
Verdasco's topspin then gets the better of him and he knocks a heavy backhand long for all. He's soon up and then moves further ahead as he draws Verdasco forward and the Spaniard can only crack a forehand into the net on the run. Murray then nets what should have been a backhand winner and the game with Verdasco at the net. That happened a fair bit against Youzhny. It doesn't matter here though. Murray serves and volleys to seal the game.
He's been comfortable on serve so far. Verdasco pings a forehand from left to right which Murray reaches and his defensive backhand slice somehow lands in. It's almost a winner but Verdasco hoicks it back into the open court and Murray slams a forehand into the net to make it That's livened things up. Two strong serves take Verdasco from all to He's serving hard and fast.
So far, this match has been more about Verdasco than Murray. He's either hitting winners or making errors. A pinpoint forehand that lands plum on the line is enough for him to hold to Remove his ticket, please.
It's poor form from someone who was always so keen on prompt timekeeping. He's sitting next to Nemanja Vidic now. The Serb, a big fan of Djokovic, will no doubt be wishing ill upon Murray. Verdasco makes his fifth forehand error to make it I think Murray's only won one point that wasn't an unforced error by Verdasco.
It's making the match slightly hard to analyse. Murray pounds down an ace to go up and Verdasco floats a backhand wide. Can only be used for the specific purposes listed. All limited-use licences come in the largest size available. Return to royalty-free licences.
Contact your local office for all commercial or promotional uses. Ben A. Editorial :. Date created:. Licence type:. Release info:. Not released. More information. Object name:. Standard code Legacy code. Show captions. Murray's won three straight games now, but Djokovic isn't feeling so charitable as to make it a fourth. The world No1 rattles off a quicker than quick service hold: , , , game. So Murray must now hold to stay in the set.
Murray, with a spring in his step, rattles off the first point. Djokovic doesn't seem to be thinking straight in this heat as he goes for the wrong shot selection and Murray threads a forehand pass through the eye of a needle down the line.
Actually, Murray should have spared himself the bother, because Djokovic's volley was wide. Murray, groaning before every shot now — partly due to his will to win, partly due to this heat — hoiks high and wide.
And it's all. Djokovic slices and dices his way to the net, before crashing down the smash. And from , it's suddenly , break point to Djokovic. Murray thunders a mph ace out wide, which almost leaves a scorch mark on the line. But Djokovic comes back, here's another chance to break , this time it's Murray's turn to dispatch the overhead.
Could this be one of the most decisive moments in this match? If Djokovic breaks here, he'll be serving for the second set. But that's not going to happen, because Murray takes two quickfire points to hold.
And here's the monikered Bym who's getting a bit dizzy watching all of this: "Don't the players appreciate the levels of concentration we're putting in? Can one of them please take their hat off so I know who I'm cheering for!? From , Murray has Djokovic doing the splits on the baseline and it's Murray v Djokovic doesn't have the clash of styles that the Federer v Nadal rivalry has, these two play too much of a similar game of jaw-dropping defence for that, but there are some subtle differences, including the more muscular power of Murray compared to the wiry, flexible strength that Djokovic shows with his gymnastics on court.
Murray misses the first, then chips and chops to get himself back into the second, but after seemingly manoeuvring his way back into the point, he nets. And then nets again. Advantage Djokovic. Murray lets out his frustrations by bludgeoning a backhand return winner off a second serve. Ivan Lendl sits as impassively as ever despite that thunderbolt, though he has moved his hands from his chin to the front of the box.
Judy Murray, meanwhile, is jumping up and down. Advantage Murray. Game Murray as Djokovic double faults! And would you have it, we're back on serve. As if he wasn't fighting the crowd enough already, Djokovic has them slow-clapping and jeering him at when he argues a call with the umpire.
And Murray comes through from there. A straightforward hold. Djokovic hits the deck at But he's by no means down and out in this game: all, with a cute volley at the net.
And an unreturned serve out wide secures the game. A big hold, he'll allow himself a little fist pump and glance up at his box for that. Djokovic is starting to dictate the points here, Murray needs to step in to the court and take a few more risks. He's too far behind the baseline. Lendl has taught him to become more proactive than reactive, but he's retreated into his shell a little since taking the first set.
KatyMurrells Collective names for Murray fans: "Murray's sixth set", his " shock absorbers", his "top spinners", his "third serve". Updated at 3. From all, the pair embark on another lengthy baseline exchange. Thwack, crack, thwack, crack, thwack, crack, thwack, crack, thwack, crack, thwack, crack and after 28 shots it's Thirty shots later it's , two break points for Djokovic. Tennis didn't used to be like this. Sure it was tough, but it was never this tough.
Where are the limits these days? There are none. Djokovic's near five-hour win over Del Potro on Friday — the longest semi-final in Wimbledon history — was proof of that. And Djokovic secures the first break of the second set. A sniff for Murray at but it's quickly snuffed out by Djokovic, all, , game. And a poser from Torun Bala for you: "In football, especially with Liverpool, we count the Kop End fans as the twelfth man, sucking or blowing the football into the opposition's net. As an analogy how would you classify Wimbledon Murray fans?
The longest rally of the match and that's saying something: 32 shots this time. Murray then scorches down his sixth ace of the day in the searing heat, Which quickly becomes courtesy of another fierce first serve. But his second serve has been a little vulnerable so far, a vulnerability that allows Djokovic to scramble to Game Murray.
Djokovic, meanwhile, regroups by holding to 15 at the start of the second set. A strong response. He won't go away easily, that much we know. He isn't the world No1 for nothing. Murray wins the first set playing great tennis, both guys look a little tired already…. A cheap first point for Murray, A netted Djokovic return, Another error from Djokovic on the return, game and first set Murray!
Can we dare to believe this actually may happen now? Just a bit? Though Murray also took the opening set in the final last year. And we all know what happened then Djokovic serving to stay in this opening set.
He's averaged a miserly one double fault a match so far, but throws one in here as Murray gets to Potentially two points away from the set. Murray aims a forehand down the line, but it's just out. Some tete-a-tete at the net plays out, but Murray's reflex volley lands in the tramlines. Deuce, as Djokovic slips and slides coming into the net.
The Serb is down on the deck, but he pulls himself back up to get to advantage. He takes the game with a looping cross-court backhand winner after opening up the court. Murray will serve for the opening set, so time to shake out the nerves with a bit of Inverdale-bashing : "I'm sure Murray was inspired by not being handsome enough to get in the school play.
It was at that point he thought: bollocks to the modelling career, I'll win Wimbledon,"sniggers Steve Fenton. Murray slumps down with a double fault. He looks to skies, how dare the sun be shining. It does seem to be affecting his ball toss. He regroups with a smart serve, taking a little bit of pace off to make sure he gets it in, But it's a fleeting resistance, as a netted forehand makes it , two break-back points for Djokovic. Murray dismisses the danger on the first with an ace.
And from a one-shot point to a odd-stroke one, as Murray eventually settles matters at the net. But not without controversy. The linesman called the ball out mid-way through the point, but the players carry on, and the umpire Mohamed Lahyani didn't have the conviction to intervene.
Nonetheless, it's deuce. Make that advantage Murray. Scrap that, it's deuce again. An absolutely ridiculous rally plays out, 26 strokes in total, and it's advantage Djokovic.
No, make that deuce again. And look, it's now advantage Murray. And this time he takes it when Djokovic, dragged out wide to his right, nets. This is stunning, sweat-soaking stuff. Both players look spent. And they've only played eight games. Now I know Djokovic likes to bounce, bounce, bounce the ball before serving, but he already seems to be feeling it out there, because he's bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce, bouncing it more than usual.
Bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce. Djokovic misses with the first serve, cue more ball bouncing. He goes out wide on the second serve, Murray gets it back with interest, and Djokovic clunks into the net!
Murray is a break ahead once more. The cameras do the compulsory panning on Murray's girlfriend, Kim Sears, before cutting to Murray Mound. There's some frantic fist-pumping out there, but no jumping. They can't move. There's no space. From ahead, Murray settles matters with two forehand winners.
Not much more to say than that, really. Though our prime minister nods approvingly from the Royal Box. Cue this email. But then the world No1 shows he can be human as he misses an absolute gimme of a volley. It bounced on the grass before it even hit the net, it was that bad. The two then throw baseline bomb after baseline bomb after baseline bomb at each other, Murray's explodes first, But Djokovic comes through from there.
Oh Andy! Updated at 2. Because Murray suddenly finds himself in a spot of bother at Which becomes clear and present danger when Djokovic smashes down an overhead, which Murray isn't getting back into play. Djokovic fires his forehand long on the first, but unwinds with a probing cross-court forehand on the second and Murray's shot flunks into the net.
And we're back on serve. But it was always going to be like this, wasn't it? This was never going to be straightforward. We're British, remember. And here's a nice little match gallery to lift your spirits. Must up my game. Where's that cognac? Another break point for Murray , his fourth so far. The pair duke it out from the back of the court, they go down the middle, down the middle, down the middle, eventually Djokovic mixes things up and Murray slaps into the net.
Advantage Djokovic as Murray flashes his forehand so high it probably takes out a few wombles on Wimbledon Common.
And Murray breaks with a superbly disguised darting backhand down the line! This is par for the course with these two, isn't it? Absolutely brutal stuff. And Murray takes the game with an ace that wasn't. Djokovic opts not to challenge, although Hawk-Eye on TV shows the ball skidded just wide.
It's time. Let's play. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Murray won the toss, but it's Mr Djokovic who will serve first. The Murray of old started rather tentatively in his grand slam finals, not the Murray of new. He takes the first point after a rally lasting 20 shots, no doubt a sign of the attritional tennis to come. The Serb then throws in an error on the forehand side, Three break points. Murray loops long on the return on the first break point, another strong first serve from Djokovic on the second and Murray is always on the back foot in the rally, and it's much the same story on the third as Murray is sent left and right and left and right before his forehand whistles wide.
Five straight points from the world No1. Apparently the temperature on the court surface is pushing a mere 40 degrees this afternoon. So perhaps this most un-British of summer afternoons can end in the most un-British of ways: with a Wimbledon men's singles champion.
Are you ready? Will you cope? Can you cope? We're almost under way. Team Murray all appear present and correct in the players' box. Mum Judy? Girlfriend Kim?
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