Honest Murray admits Federer served up a treat

Andy Murray admitted there was little he could do to combat the awesome power of Roger Federer as the Swiss cruised to a straight-sets win over the British number one to reach a 10th Wimbledon final.

Murray fought valiantly to keep his hopes of a third Wimbledon final alive, particularly in a 15-minute game at 4-5 when he saved five second-set points.

The 33-year-old always has been a man of deceptively mild outward temperament, but in his stunning semifinal victory over Murray on Friday, 7-5, 7-5, 6-4, he was in the most dangerously silken form of his life. In the end, it was Federer who turned out to be the better player, building up an immaculate service game and winning 84% of his first serve points. “He served fantastic, apart from the first game where I had the chance there. The way it worked out today, I mean, the guy served unbelievable”.

“What happens here [in the press conference], you can’t just take it all in because sometimes there’s a very positive vibe”.

A string of unforced errors and hints of his traditional capacity to choke under pressure, handed a first set tiebreak it to Djokovic 7-6 (2).

“Obviously I got broken right at the end all of the sets but I didn’t actually play a bad match”.

The 21st seed looked to have lost his focus, starting the second set as he lost his serve in the first game itself. But the differentiating factor between the two players was that the Serbian was better in terms of consistency than the Frenchman.

Murray said: “People love the way Lionel Messi plays football”. He was serving like 80 per cent in the first set, then he was in the high seventies for most of the match. “He created break point in his first game”. He’s always playing his toughest when it matters the most.

A shattered Murray, asked if he would come to the All England Club to watch brother Jamie’s Mens Doubles final this afternoon, said: “I may come and watch the last game or two”.

The world number three was quick to salute Federer’s talent and his longevity, but he also suggested women’s world number one Serena Williams, who has 20 major titles, deserved equal billing.

“Andy’s been playing very well for the season”, Federer told the BBC following his semi-final match.

“I couldn’t get a racquet on a lot of the returns”, said Murray.

“He’s got to adjust and acclimatise and get over the jet lag and all that stuff, so that’s going to be the challenge for him”. “I’ve done some in my career that have been big”. Discussing where he won it, Federer said: “I think on my serve again”.

“So I just feel overall that people are very happy for me, and at the same time I’m very pleased how well I’m playing”. There would be no denying Federer though; he held serve in the next game and then broke Murray – again in the 12th game – to take the second set. At 2-all in the tiebreaker, Gasquet’s backhand sailed long, and he wouldn’t take another point in the set. I thought I didn’t play badly under those circumstances.

“That was huge for him but still I was able to make the difference right after”.

“I don’t want the pressure of that”.

Roger Federer will attempt to win a record 8th title at Wimbledon’s All England Club on Sunday after posting an impressive three-set victory over Andy Murray in the semi-final on Friday. “I have a responsibility to play well here in the cradle of tennis”.

For CRI, I’m Duan Xuelian reporting from Wimbledon.

“In the matches against him, I went through a lot of different emotions and things that allowed me to understand what I need to do to become a better player and to win against him and win Grand Slam trophies”.