I won't be watching unfortunately as I'll be travelling. However for once I feel Murray has a very good chance to win his first slam. I have always said that winning a slam, for some, requires a share of luck and for Murray who has always failed thus far v Djokovic, Federer and Nadal that luck would be presented to him the day those 3 would be out of form.
Federer has played the whole fortnight without a FH, his biggest weapon due to a bad back, and Djoko admitting himself in his post match interview was not tip top either v Federer. Murray therefore is now there with a great chance, especially knowing he has always beaten an off-form Federer, it's at h0me, in front of his crowd.
What else does he need?
I will say however that Murray deserves a slam. He reached the final 3 times before and has worked hard enough to deserve one...even if luck would play its part...like in most slam.
Under those circumstances Murray is the clear favourite and really should win but Federer has surprised me more than once and seems in a mission backed by the tennis gods who have so far sent him chockers and injured player so he can reach his final in his worse performance over a decade.
Leave your comments, I'll be reading them all on my arrival at destination.
The FINAL - Federer v Murray
posted on 8/7/12
You traitor to your country TMF
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I will be happy if Andy wins it.
posted on 8/7/12
I am the same tmf when it comes to Fed v a French player.
posted on 8/7/12
Despite everything that happened (Murray coming through a tough draw, Fed never looked 100% ok) i still would go for Federer. It seems he found an effective game which can be executed without having the explosiveness he used to have. You don't see him hitting flamboyant FH's with a heavy rotating upper body or see him return "squash" shots from impossible corners but there's a rather low UE count instead.
I actually think it helps him that came from a situation he had nothing to lose (the Malisse match), to me he does look mentally fresh. There's absolutely nothing wrong with his mindset.
Murray came through a tough draw, but was that draw as tough as it looked? Cilic was tired, tall guys do not recover easily from 5,5 hour matches. Ferrer is always a feisty competitor but the final stages of Wimbledon..is that his playground? Not really. I expected a closer match against Tsonga, but boy was Tsonga nervous! Tsonga's floating BH slices are easier to handle than Fed's slices. I also think Tsonga was a bit afraid of Murray's defense. He panicked while attacking.
However, Murray can be a real pain for Federer. Especially when Fed loses his patience: the crux of that losing streak against Murray.
I expect Federer will handle the pressure better than Murray and that shall be decisive.
BTW: is the roof closed this afternoon?
posted on 8/7/12
Well I am afraid I have to agree with you once again GP! ...but I am certainly not as optimistic as you regarding Fed's chances. Where is that ballerina icon?
The other thing is that Ferrer did collapse mentally under the big points which certainly Federer is less likely to.
posted on 8/7/12
Well, i'n not fully optimistic, just a tiny gut feeling. You know, the thing you would choose if you had to put your money in.
Fed's reserved cheer compared with Murray's tears after the last point in the semi... it's maybe a sign, maybe
posted on 8/7/12
any streams for the game?
posted on 9/7/12
Lots of threads on the Final, hence some got left out. A great win for Federer. Very impressive match from Andy too.
posted on 9/7/12
I think th OP was actually quite right. Where I got it wrong is that Federer found his form in the last 2 matches it seems and that is what really surprised me after seeing the way he played beforehand, in particular v Malisse. I could certainly not envisage Federer finding a great form so close from his worst match I have seen in 10 years...so at the end Federer prooves he is still better and as he says himself has improved over the last 5 years....something some do not want to see.
posted on 9/7/12
The match followed a similar trajectory to the Djokovic semi and both were in contrast to the strategy Fed has tended to take vs the top players in recent years.
We've been saying that the longer the matches go on the more this favours Djokovic, Murray & Nadal, but both the semi and final had a different flavour. Whereas at the US Open vs Djokovic Fed came out blazing & took the first 2 sets, after which his legs had gone, this time he's started out slowly and found a rhythm over the course of the matches, and after an initial sustained assault both Djokovic and Murray 'went away'.
In the first two sets of the final it was clear that Fed was having trouble deciding when to run around his backhand as Murray was taking the 'break down the backhand' strategy to it's fullest conclusion, which often resulted in ridiculously repetitive rallies. Murray was serving well and his groundstrokes were extraordinarily consistent. His forehand is clearly much improved. Federer was the first to make an error in rallies and Murray was often dictating as well as chasing everything down.
But it became obvious late in the second set that the exertion required for Murray to maintain that form wasn't sustainable, and those exertions took their toll on the accuracy of his first serve. As Murray fatigued Federer tuned himself ever more finely into the rhythm of the match and towards the end was playing spectacularly effortless tennis. So over the long haul efficiency and economy rather than fitness won out and all of Murray's mad dashes and fist-pumpery looked futile and immature.
posted on 9/7/12
and those exertions took their toll on the accuracy of his first serve. As Murray fatigued Federer tuned himself ever more finely into the rhythm of the match and towards the end was playing spectacularly effortless tennis.
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Yes but that I think has been the case in some of the past matches too. As you mentioned the USO 11 semi, Federer's more energy efficient tennis made the different in the 5th set..just to collapse physically and mentally at the very last hurdle due to some exceptional circumstances. It's also Federer's most efficient game that made the difference in Miami 05 and Wimbledon 07 when Fed won both v Rafa in the 5th.
What surprises me is that Federer plays with less margin than those 3 physical players but yet managed to pull the key shots as the match goes on. This is where his fitness and mental is absolutely exceptional.
Being able to deliver the sharpest shots under the highest pressure and at the end of an exhausting fortnight of tennis is simply unseen, especially in today's tennis where all players make sure they test their opponent physically to the last drop of sweat.
Amazingly I believe It's his poised that helps him physically. He keeps his heartbeat under control and that is why he hardly sweats.
He is a phenomenon.