Federer, Roddick to Meet in Wimbledon Final
Venus Williams of U.S. reacts as she defeats Dinara Safina of Russia, in their women's singles semifinal on the Centre Court at Wimbledon, Thursday, July 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
(Kirsty Wigglesworth - AP)
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Saturday, July 4, 2009
WIMBLEDON, England, July 3 -- The Times of London proclaimed it a "day of destiny" and ran a list of five excuses to give the boss for missing work Friday to watch Andy Murray's semifinal at Wimbledon.
With a victory, the 22-year-old Scot would become the first British man to reach Wimbledon's final since 1938. With one more on Sunday, Murray would become the first to raise its coveted trophy since 1936.
But American Andy Roddick spoiled the party.
Before a wildly partisan crowd, Roddick upset the third-seeded Murray, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-5), to earn a spot in Sunday's final, where, for a seventh consecutive year, Roger Federer awaits.
Already hailed by many as the greatest ever to wield a racket, Federer is seeking a 15th Grand Slam title, which would break the record he shares with Pete Sampras.
While Federer's place in Sunday's final seemed preordained, though made official by a 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, 6-3 victory over Tommy Haas earlier in the day, few expected that the sixth-seeded Roddick, rather than Murray, would be the Andy staring back across the net.
Roddick fell to his knees on Centre Court's hallowed lawn and buried his head in his hands the moment Murray's final backhand plowed into the net, ending the three-hour, seven-minute ordeal. When he looked up, his eyes were rimmed with tears.
"I didn't know if I'd ever get another chance to play for another Grand Slam final," Roddick said moments later, acutely aware that six years have elapsed since he won his first and only major title, the 2003 U.S. Open, at age 21.
Roddick's surprising achievement in toppling the favored Scot means that three of the four Wimbledon finalists this Fourth of July weekend will be Americans.
Sisters Venus and Serena Williams square off for the women's title on Saturday. In addition, the sisters will vie for the Wimbledon's women's doubles title, and Americans Bob and Mike Bryan reached the finals in men's doubles. An American teen, Jordan Cox, advanced to the junior boys final as well.
But it was Roddick's victory that stung the locals the most, crushing Britain's hopes of a resurgence of national pride at the All England club.
Murray remained unbowed, vowing to return a stronger, bolder player next year.
