Andy Murray is closing in on his second Wimbledon title after brushing aside Tomas Berdych 6-3 6-3 6-3 in the semifinals at Wimbledon.
A comprehensive performance by Murray has reduced the second Wimbledon semifinal to an almost routine match that has never seen any moment when the Brit number 2 in the world did not look like he would be the eventual winner.
Murray was simply too much to handle for Berdych who simply turned from a would-be co-star of this almost prime-time show at Wimbledon (the lengthy match between Federer and Raonic played very well in the BBC which was gifted of a match by the local idol right when most Brits had just got home for the weekend) to a little more than an extra, just because at tennis one cannot play a match by himself.
The emotions and pathos of the first semifinal were replaced by a sense of cheerful inevitability (since most of the crowd was supporting the British hero) as the match progressed to define its boring, “periodic” score. Murray was doing and un-doing at his will on court, as an early break in the first set was promptly returned at the first chance, but two unforced errors by Berdych in the eighth game at 15-30 sealed the fate of the first set. A glimmer of hope broke into the darkness of the Czech’s day when, trailing 2-3 in the second set, Murray needed a 16-point game to hold serve after having canceled a dangerous break point with a forehand volley.
“I think there was couple of opportunities – said Berdych in the post-match press conference – especially in those moments, I was a bit short on that, was not able to execute them. Especially little bit in the second set when I was 3‑2 up, had couple of breakpoints on his serve, I think that was a good chance, as well. But, yeah, I mean, overall, I have to say that he played really well.”
From that moment the Brit put a final stamp on the match winning 8 of the following 9 games to secure a lead of 2 sets and a break that proved to be unassailable for Berdych.
°I thought I played pretty good today. I didn’t give up too many errors,” said an immaculately dressed Murray during the press conference.
“I made it very difficult for Tomas. It was quite breezy. It was quite tricky on the court today in comparison with the other days, especially at the beginning of the match. It wasn’t as easy to play really good tennis. But, you know, I hit the ball clean. Didn’t give up, like I said, too many unforced errors.”
Murray clinches his third Grand Slam final of the season and his 11th in his career, and for the first time he will not face Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer, who have defeated him in 9 of those 11 occasions. He will instead take the Centre Court on Sunday with the Canadian Milos Raonic, whom he defeated in a 5-set nail-biter at the Australian open last January after trailing by 2 sets to one. Raonic will play his first ever Grand Slam final and will be the definite underdog for that match, which represents a golden opportunity for Murray to increase his Grand Slam titles tally, currently set at only two (2012 US Open and 2013 Wimbledon):
“It’s obviously an opportunity. I put myself in a position to try and win the event again. It’s against someone new that I’m playing against in the final. But Milos is a very tough opponent. He’s played very well on the grass this year and has earned his right to the final by beating one of the best, if not the best player, ever at this event. So he deserves to be there.” Murray concluded.
