Vasek Pospisil played very well in his first grand slam quarter-final but Andy Murray was too good. Murray has been tested and has had to work hard to reach the last four. Now it gets tough. He’s playing Roger Federer for a place in the Wimbledon final on Friday. See you then. Bye.
Murray speaks. “I felt like i played some good stuff. He served extremely well for periods of the match. I changed my position a little bit at the end of the second set. It was obviously difficult. We were stopped a couple of times and came back under the roof, which is obviously different conditions. I hope I can get to another final but it’s going to be another tough one.”
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Andy Murray wins 6-4, 7-5, 6-4!
Serving for the match, Murray is delighted when Pospisil sends a backhand return long. Murray then seizes a 30-0 lead with a huge backhand, only to malfunction badly with three successive forehands to give Pospisil his first break point of the match. Dearie me. Murray does love a spot of needless drama. He chunters at himself and finds a big serve to save it, before Pospisil wallops a forehand long to give Murray his first match point. But it’s not over yet! Out of nowhere, Pospisil cannons a forehand to the Murray backhand and forces deuce! A serve from Murray is called out. He challenges. It was in by a whisker. He gets another go. He misses his first serve but Pospisil’s return off the second serve is poor and Murray makes him regret it with a thumped forehand for his second match point. He misses another first serve. But he’s merciless. Murray stings a backhand into the corner and although Pospisil is still clinging on for dear life, Murray gives him one last shove with a sharp forehand into the other corner! That’s that. Murray reaches his sixth Wimbledon semi-final.
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Third set: Murray 6-4, 7-5, 5-4 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Run! Run! Run! Murray makes Pospisil dart back and forth across the baseline. It’s not a pleasant experience for the big man, who’s stranded when Murray comes forward for a simple volley. Murray is turning up the heat. Another long rally ends with Pospisil hooking a backhand wide for 0-30. Pospisil puffs out his cheeks, waits a moment and he’s given a time violation by the umpire. It’s his second one, so he loses his first serve. Even the crowd on his side here and they cheer when he ends up winning the point. He wins the next point as well, but then he wonks a forehand badly wide to give Murray a break point. It’s a second point. Murray’s rasps a backhand back his way and Pospisil comes up with a tweener! Not that it means much. Murray isn’t bothered and cracks a backhand from left to right to earn that vital break. He’ll serve for the match.
Third set: Murray* 6-4, 7-5, 4-4 Pospisil (*denotes server): Pospisil tries a change of pace with a drop shot at 15-0. Murray confounds him with a delightful drop shot of his own. He holds to love with an easy forehand.
Third set: Murray 6-4, 7-5, 3-4 Pospisil* (*denotes server): The applause on Centre Court becomes a little more insistent when Murray grabs two points for a 15-30 lead. Pospisil snatched a backhand into the net at 15-all. It was a tired shot. Are all those hours on court catching up with him? Maybe. A fizzing return from Murray unbalances him and he splutters a forehand into the net to hand Murray two more break points. But Murray bellows when he nets a forehand return. It was a good serve. Pospisil then finally misses a first serve on a break point - but he takes everyone by surprise by winning the rally when it goes deep. You’d have bet your first born on Murray there. But that’s because you don’t like your first born. You monster. Murray then uses up a challenge when a slice is called out and Pospisil holds again. Pospisil is unlikely to win this match but he is going to emerge with his dignity firmly intact.
Third set: Murray* 6-4, 7-5, 3-3 Pospisil (*denotes server): Every time Pospisil has 0-15 on Murray’s serve, he can’t pull away. Murray wins the next three points. He holds, another drama-free game.
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Third set: Murray 6-4, 7-5, 2-3 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Murray whistles a brilliant forehand down the line for 0-15; Pospisil responds with a sliced ace down the middle for 15-all, before two sloppy backhands from Murray makes it 40-15. He gives himself a telling off. Pospisil holds again.
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Third set: Murray* 6-4, 7-5, 2-2 Pospisil (*denotes server): If Andy Murray sees this through, he will play Roger Federer on Friday. Federer has just beaten Gilles Simon 6-3, 7-5, 6-2. An easy win for the great man, although he was broken for the first time in the tournament. That should be a classic. Don’t make any plans on Friday. Murray holds to 15 here.
Third set: Murray 6-4, 7-5, 1-2 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Pospisil slams two aces past Murray to lead 30-0, only for a choked volley and a double fault to make it 30-all. He’s under pressure again. Murray hangs in there on the next point and Pospisil dabs a backhand into the net to make it 30-40. It’s a break point. But credit to Pospisil, who won’t go quietly. A barrage of big serves allows him to hold.
Third set: Murray* 6-4, 7-5, 1-1 Pospisil (*denotes server): You need to be precise with drop volleys against Murray. Otherwise he’ll punish you. Pospisil discovers that at 0-15. Murray then rattles down two aces to lead 40-15 and holds with a stinging backhand.
Third set: Murray 6-4, 7-5, 0-1 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Of course, Vasek Pospisil still has hope - he came back from two sets down to beat Victor Troicki on Monday. But this is a different proposition altogether. I believe that Murray hasn’t dropped a two-set lead here since losing to David Nalbandian in the third round in 2005. And Pospisil is in trouble after a double fault at 15-all. Moments later, he puts too much on a volley and Murray scampers across to slash a backhand past him to earn two break points. Murray is annoyed not to get either serve back into play, though, the game going to deuce, Pospisil still alive, determined not to let Murray steam away with the match. Pospisil digs out a gritty hold.
Andy Murray wins the second set; he leads 6-4, 7-5!
Serving for the second set, Murray takes a 15-0 lead when Pospisil misses a return and then he lets rip with a huge forehand for a 30-0 lead. Obviously that’s the cue for a double fault from Murray to make it 30-15, before he strains every sinew in his body and comes up with an inch-perfect smash for two set points. He only needs one. He serves out wide and Pospisil batters a forehand into the net! Murray’s fans are happy. The roof doesn’t come off Centre Court, though, that would be dangerous.
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Second set: Murray 6-4, 6-5 Pospisil* (*denotes server): And now the pressure is on Pospisil to hold. He makes a shaky start. Murray grinds him down and he nets a forehand for 0-15. But he steadies himself and curves an ace down the middle for 15-all, before dominating the net again for 30-15. Yet then comes an extended rally: an unfortunate bounce on the baseline catches Pospisil by surprise, before he’s given a time violation by the umpire. He’s not happy, even less so when Murray wins a game of drop shot to earn the first break point of the second set. Is this to be the breakthrough for Murray? It is! He returns a heavy serve. Pospisil comes to the net again, but this time it’s his undoing. Murray finally finds his range with a backhand pass and Pospisil can’t do anything with his volley. Murray will serve for a two-set lead. Pospisil is fuming about that time violation. “So typical,” he mutters once he’s back in the chair.
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Second set: Murray* 6-4, 5-5 Pospisil (*denotes server): Murray cruises into a 40-0 lead with three big serves. He holds with a spot of serve-volley. That was simple.
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Second set: Murray 6-4, 4-5 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Murray bangs his racket in frustration after Pospisil wrongfoots him with a clever backhand back behind him. He didn’t read that; nor does he see a big forehand coming from right to left. Pospisil is giving away little on his serve, although Murray does win an exchange at the net to make it 40-15. But another clubbed serve keeps Murray at arm’s length. If Pospisil wins the next game, the second set is his! “Afternoon Jacob,” says Simon McMahon. “Left Scotland this morning for Mallorca, swapping rain and 15 degrees for sun and 35 degrees. Now it’s raining at Wimbledon. This UK weather really needs to take a long hard look at itself. Oh, and come on Andy.”
Second set: Murray* 6-4, 4-4 Pospisil (*denotes server): With the sun now beating down outside, Centre Court is covered by the roof, which is slightly puzzling. At least it means we know this match will end today. Unless it takes on an Isner-Mahut vibe and we’re still here at 11pm tonight. You never know. Anyway, 35 minutes after the last game, play resumes with Murray on serve. The first two points are shared, before Murray takes a 30-15 lead, Pospisil fizzing a forehand wide. Pospisil then tries a drop shot. It’s a very decent effort but Murray gets there and forces Pospisil to lob long. Murray holds.
The sun is also shining. But the roof is on. The players are knocking up.
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The roof appears to be on Centre Court. Shows what I know.
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The expectation is that there will be more rain in the next few minutes, so the covers will stay on. But the roof will not be going over Centre Court.
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It’s not been picked up by the television commentators but a couple of people who were in the press seats on Centre Court think that Murray is quite tight and might have a problem with his shoulder. Maybe it wasn’t a ruse against Seppi.
Play is suspended again!
It’s pouring! That was a nice whole week of summer, wasn’t it?
It’s raining again. The umbrellas are shooting up again.
Second set: Murray 6-4, 3-4 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Pospisil’s fourth ace of the match makes it 30-0 but he lets Murray back into the game at 30-15 with a double fault. Yet Murray then drifts a forehand wide and Pospisil wins the game with a composed drop shot. Meanwhile the clouds over Centre Court are darkening.
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Second set: Murray* 6-4, 3-3 Pospisil (*denotes server): Boosted by that gutsy hold, Pospisil spanks a wobbling forehand down the line. Murray doesn’t move and it’s 15-all. Is Pospisil’s belief growing? It might be when Murray clumps a useless forehand wide. Yet Murray keeps him waiting for his first break point, winning the next two points with some positive, punchy tennis. Pospisil then whacks a forehand return wide and Murray holds. How many is that now?
Second set: Murray 6-4, 2-3 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Pospisil tries to serve and volley again - but this time Murray’s return down the line is strong and Pospisil nets his volley to trail 0-15. Murray senses something’s up when Pospisil misses a tight forehand down the line to make it 0-30. It’s a good time for Pospisil to find his fastest serve of the day, which sets him up for a big forehand winner for 15-30. Another one finds the line and Murray screws a backhand wide. This is a good response from Pospisil, who wins the next point when he blocks an attempted forehand pass from Murray, who’ll be annoyed he’s let that 0-30 lead slip. Pospisil holds with a clever forehand.
Second set: Murray* 6-4, 2-2 Pospisil (*denotes server): Murray arrows a backhand just wide on the first point. He challenges but it was out by a yard or two. Then he misses a first serve. It’s a chance for Pospisil. Both men play look a little passive during the rally. It’s Pospisil who needs to pull the trigger. He does, but he misfires, knocking a forehand wide for 15-all. Soon Murray leads 40-15 and what could have been an awkward game becomes a breeze.
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Second set: Murray 6-4, 1-2 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Once the rallies lengthen, you fancy Murray to win the point. It happens on the first point, which ends with Pospisil netting. But if Pospisil can end the point quickly, he’s in business. He has to be aggressive. A big forehand allows him to lope forward and volley for 15-all. He wins the next point, too, and then slices another volley away for 40-15. He’s won 13 out of 16 net approaches. And he’s won this game with an ace. Pospisil is a set down but he’s giving Murray a few things to think about. Murray hasn’t been close to a break since the rain delay.
Second set: Murray* 6-4, 1-1 Pospisil (*denotes server): A woman in the crowd is dressed like she’s in The Libertines. Not sure why. Maybe it’s actually Pete Doherty. I don’t actually know what he looks like these days. Anyway, back to the tennis; Murray holds to 30 when he comes to the net and Pospisil pulls a backhand pass wide. That was something of a role reversal.
Second set: Murray 6-4, 0-1 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Pospisil’s volleying remains spot on, another fine exhibition of serve-volleying bringing him a 30-0 lead. Murray’s passing game will have to be good. He doesn’t get close to Pospisil here. The Canadian holds to love with an ace.
Andy Murray wins the first set 6-4
Murray is getting so many easy points on his serve and two more helps him establish a 30-0 lead. Pospisil must improve his returns. When he does get into the rallies, he’s not out of his depth and a cute volley makes it 30-15. But then comes an amazing point. Pospisil must think he’s won it with a couple of outstanding volleys, including one backhand overhead. But Murray keeps lobbing him. Eventually he steers it over Pospisil, who races back and somehow hooks it back into the play. There’s Murray with the smash for two set points. Pospisil saves the first; his volleying is good, as you’d expect from an accomplished doubles player, better than Karlovic’s. Murray then wastes the second, larrumping a simple forehand long. That was dozy and he’s allowed it to go to deuce. Yet he earns another set point when Pospisil drifts a forehand return wide. This time, Pospisil crashes a forehand into the net. Murray is two sets away from his sixth Wimbledon semi-final.
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First set: Murray 5-4 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Serving to stay in the first set, Pospisil hurtles an ace down the middle for 15-0, before Murray clips a forehand into the net for 30-0. Pospisil isn’t playing terribly. A little more conviction at crucial moments and he could do something here. He holds to love, making sure that Murray has to serve for the set.
First set: Murray* 5-3 Pospisil (*denotes server): The problem for Pospisil, as with so many big servers, is that their return is lacking against the best players. He slaps a forehand into the net off a second serve off the first point, before Murray drills a backhand down the line for a 30-0 lead. Pospisil then swipes a forehand long to make it 40-15 and Murray bangs an ace down the middle to move a game closer to taking the first set.
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First set: Murray 4-3 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Pospisil grabs a stress-free hold to 15. “Let’s go!” he barks. He doesn’t specify where he wants to go. I mean, Centre Court is a pretty nice place.
First set: Murray* 4-2 Pospisil (*denotes server): Murray begins with a double fault, his second of the match. The crowd winces. Pospisil has more energy and Murray is a little flat, flapping a backhand into the net to make it 0-30. He needs to rouse himself here. He’s extremely lucky not to go down 0-40, Pospisil slicing a smash wide - although it was Murray’s retrieving that forced the Canadian to play one more shot and make the error. Two more unforced errors from Pospisil, still thinking about that wild overhead, gives Murray a 40-30 lead and he holds.
First set: Murray 3-2 Pospisil* (*denotes server): The wait is over. The rain has passed and although it might return in a bit, the roof is still off. How will the break have affected the players? Pospisil appears to have used it to motivate himself, audibly pleased with himself when he bangs a forehand past Murray to lead 15-0. Soon it’s 40-15. Pospisil comes to the net. Lob! Pospisil smashes it back but straight at Murray, who belts a forehand back to the Canadian, who can’t do anything about that. Yet Pospisil seals an important hold with a big serve. “Yeah, come on!” he cries.
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The players are back on court. Who’s for tennis?
The covers are coming off. Play will resume shortly.
Umbrellas are down. The sun is shining.
Here’s Andy Murray’s entry into The Worst Serve of The Year World Championships.
Let's watch this again.. pic.twitter.com/VpeU9uWYKt #Wimbledon
— We Are Tennis (@WeAreTennis) July 8, 2015
“Just wondered, how come play is suspended in the Murray/Pospisil match when centre court has a roof?” asks Richard Reynolds.
It’s an outdoor tournament. If it’s not going to rain all day, they’ll endeavour to keep the roof off.
An update from the referee’s office, via the Met Office: “This band of showers should pass through fairly quickly and we are hopeful it will clear in 20 minutes.” Play should resume once it clears up.
Just looking at the forecast for the next few days, I see that it’s meant to be quite rainy on Sunday. That could massively play into Federer’s hands if he gets to the final. He loves playing under a roof.
It is tipping it down outside. Oh dear. However allow me to do my best Michael Fish impression and say that it’s meant to be a brief shower.
Play is suspended!
The covers are coming on and the rain is coming down!
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First set: Murray* 3-1 Pospisil (*denotes server): The clouds over SW19 are very grey. There is a chance of rain at some point today, so there’s no time for Murray to mess around. He looks to consolidate the break by haring into a 40-0 lead. Then he clumps a forehand into the net, before hitting the worst second serve of all time, slashing it off not just into the wrong service box but into the wrong direction. That was preposterous! It doesn’t affect him, though, he comes up with a big serve to hold.
First set: Murray 2-1 Pospisil* (*denotes server): Murray wins his first point on the Pospisil serve, dealing well with an awkward low slice, whipping a forehand to the left and coming forward to punch a forehand volley away for 0-15. Pospisil wins the next point with some delicate serve-volleying. Kids, that’s when you come to the net for a “volley” after a “serve”. There endeth the tennis lesson. Back to the tennis. Murray unleashes a huge cross-court forehand for a 15-30 lead, but then slashes an attempt at a backhand pass into the net. Pospisil isn’t shy to come to the net. I fancy we might see a few lobs from Murray today. And he’s got so much to his game. A stunning return sets him up for a lovely drop shot. Pospisil reaches it and flicks a forehand cross-court, but Murray is in the right place to drop the ball into the open court to earn his first break point. Pospisil attacks the net again. Murray sees him coming, plops a low backhand down at the Canadian’s feet, and he can only dab an unconvincing volley into the net. Murray breaks!
First set: Murray* 1-1 Pospisil (*denotes server): On a grey and cool day, Murray rattles through three quick points for a 40-0 lead. Pospisil blasts a forehand long on the final point and Murray holds comfortably.
First set: Murray 0-1 Pospisil* (*denotes server): And so it begins. Centre Court is ready. The players are ready. The umpire is ready. It’s time for tennis. It’s Vasek Pospisil to serve first and three big deliveries win him the first three points, which should settle any lingering nerves on his first appearance in a grand slam quarter-final. He holds to love with a neat forehand winner at the end of a cagey rally.
The winner of this match will play either Roger Federer or Gilles Simon in the semi-final. Scott Murray has live coverage of that match here.
Vasek Pospisil wins the toss. He chooses to serve. You know, he wouldn’t be the first man to beat two British men in the same year at Wimbledon. Goran Ivanisevic did it in 2001, beating Greg Rusedski 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the fourth round and Tim Henman 7-5, 6-7, 0-6, 7-6, 6-3 in a little-known semi-final, before becoming the first wild card to win a major with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7 victory over Pat Rafter in one of the greatest finals of all time.
The players are out. They’re here. Centre Court rises. David Beckham is in the crowd. A couple of Royals are there too, apparently, but no one in their right mind cares about that.
WATCH @andy_murray and @VasekPospisil enter Centre Court with a Royal standing ovation #Wimbledon http://t.co/X3jRKX4nbA
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 8, 2015
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There’s a new face in the BBC punditry team today. It’s Andy Roddick! He’s courtside with Tim Henman and Sue Barker. This is a good interview with A-Rod.
Preamble
It could have been Rafael Nadal. It could have been David Ferrer. It could have been Victor Troicki. It could even have been James Ward. What a Britishly British day to British that would have been. Britain!
But it’s none of the above. It’s Vasek Pospisil. Last year, it was Grigor Dimitrov. And today, Andy Murray’s opponent in his Wimbledon quarter-final is Vasek Pospisil, the world No56, a player who’s never beaten him and who’s never scaled these heights in a grand slam before. Knowing Murray as I don’t, I feel confident when I say that he would have shrugged his shoulders and drawled “Yeah … I guess … that might be nice … I mean, you know, there are no easy games at this level, you know, Vasek has a big serve and a wicked forehand and he’s been as high as No25 in the world, you know, so it won’t be easy … but … yeah, I guess that might be nicer than playing Nadal or Ferrer … can I go now?” if you had offered him this scenario at the start of the fortnight.
Although Pospisil has already beaten one home player, knocking out Ward in five sets on Saturday, there is little prospect of the 25-year-old Canadian getting past Murray, who has largely been in outstanding form in his four matches. This is their fourth meeting – their first on grass - and Pospisil, who has won three five-setters on journey to this point, coming back from two sets down to beat Troicki on Monday, has never taken a set off Murray. It is not in Murray’s nature to take anyone lightly on a tennis court, but it will be a surprise if there is much anxiety on Centre Court this afternoon. After all, Pospisil’s doubles commitments means he hasn’t stopped playing tennis since the tournament began.
Play begins at: 1pm.
