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Sabado, Hunyo 30, 2012
Wimbledon 2012: Andy Murray v Marcos Baghdatis ? as it happened | Scott Murray
Andy Murray stuttered, but made it to the last 16
? All the latest stats and more with the IBM SlamTracker
? Check out the best pictures from Tom Jenkins
Pity poor Andy Murray! The pressure's always heaped on the unfortunate young chap at Wimbledon. He's Tim Henman multiplied by Greg Rusedski, on the end of a stick whittled by Jeremy Bates. But with Rafa Nadal sensationally cleared out of his half of the draw, expectations have suddenly gone stratospheric. Could this finally be - come on, we're all thinking it - the year a British man gets to the final for the first time since Bunny Austin made it in 1938?
Well, yes, quite possibly. But like all good British tennis fans we are, of course, getting way ahead of ourselves. The door of opportunity may be ajar, but it's typical of Murray's luck that when Nadal crashes out, it's during a tournament where the Scot has found himself in the toughest quarter of the draw: ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for Marcos Baghdatis, Marin ?ili?, Sam Querrey, David Ferrer, Andy Roddick, and Juan Mart�n del Potro! A fourth semi in a row for Murray will be an achievement in itself. Not that any of this will be taken into consideration should he fail to make it.
Marcos Baghdatis is the first obstacle, and getting past him will be no mean feat. The Cypriot beat a young Murray on the way to the semis here in 2006, while last season he gave eventual champion Novak Djokovic a run for his money in the third round. Baghdatis also has a fair idea of what's inside Murray's box of tricks; his coach is former Team Murray confidant Miles Maclagan. "Andy is a great player so Marcos has to come out and play really well," says Maclagan, "but the pressure is all on Andy. The questions keep coming about when he is going to win a slam and, with Nadal out, there will be a lot of the public who think he is just going to cruise to the final, which of course is just not the case."
[Notes on the OH-I-SAY-OMETER?: Between 1927 and 1939, football matches on BBC Radio were described by two commentators. One provided a running description of play. The other followed the ball, and depending on its position on the pitch, called out numbers which corresponded to a grid printed in the Radio Times. It was a perfectly logical system, and it's one we've tweaked - OK, nicked - for the tennis. It's the greatest leap forward in sports commentary for 85 years, and it's been designed to improve our service to you, not to make life easier for any lazy Game By Game hacks, oh no.]
And of course there's the IBM SlamTracker, which unlike my OH-I-SAY-OMETER? is an actual thing: According to it, for Baghdatis to have a chance, he'll need to win more than 56% of rallies with two or fewer shots. Murray meanwhile needs to win more than 54% of three-to-eight-shot rallies. So good luck with that, chaps! (The SlamTracker also suggests Baghdatis also needs to have an Aggressive Ratio of more than 1.6. I tell you what, I'll have an Aggressive Ratio of more than 1.6 if this turns into a five-setter, on account of my desire to go home at some point tonight. But I digress.)
7pm: After a mere six hours of tennis, Serena Williams and David Ferrer have won their Centre Court matches. Which means one thing: it's Murraytime! We're waiting for the players to take to the court. Won't be long now.
7.05pm: Murray and Baghdatis arrive on court, and begin knocking up. There are a lot of Union Jacks being waved. It's a bit like Ibrox, only they're not playing Penny Arcade by Roy Orbison over the PA, and we know the place will still be here this time next year.
7.10pm: As the players continue warming up, the crowd amuse themselves with a thoroughly polite Mexican Wave. A gentle oscillation of amusement. They're all flootered on Pimms. Absolutely banjaxed. In other news, the wind's getting up a wee bit, which might jigger Baghdatis's big serve a tad. We'll see about that.
And we're on our way. Baghdatis will serve first.
First set: Murray 0-1 Baghdatis* (*denotes server): Murray goes 30-15 up, but despite successfully chasing down quite a few lost causes - including one spectacular hoick from the baseline, spinning through 360 degrees to keep himself in a point that looked gone - he can't do any further damage. Baghdatis looks quite happy to head to the net at every opportunity, taking control of the points.
First set: Murray* 1-1 Baghdatis: An easy enough hold to 15, although Murray's serve needs some more time to warm up: a double fault, and a couple of slow second serves. Baghdatis nets a couple of returns, failing to take advantage.
First set: Murray 1-2 Baghdatis*: Murray needlessly loses his first challenge of the set, questioning a ball that had ballooned into the air and, caught by the swirling wind, landed well wide left of the sideline. No idea why he bothered with that. Baghdatis holds without drama. Both players are feeling each other out at the moment.
First set: Murray* 2-2 Baghdatis: The first long rally of the match, and it's won by Baghdatis, who suddenly springs into action, moving towards the net and crashing a shot into the far-left corner - OFFICIAL GUARDIAN OH-I-SAY-OMETER? F to A - and then creaming Murray's desperate return up the left-hand sideline. That's a real belter of a point, Murray rocked back on his heels by a powerful double-whammy. Murray loses another entertaining point, slicing a shot down the right-hand sideline only to be once again pushed into the corner; he manages to return and then, after Baghdatis dinks a ball into Murray's right service court, makes up all the ground and so nearly rescues the point with a cross-court forehand flick. But no. The game goes to the first deuce of the match, though Murray closes it out quickly from there.
First set: Murray 2-3 Baghdatis*: Baghdatis whistles the first ace of the match past Murray's lugs on his way to an easy hold. "C'mon now, let's not get carried away too early, we're not thinking Murray will make the final," writes Simon McMahon. "ANDY MURRAY IS GOING TO WIN WIMBLEDON." To be fair, British fans rarely get the chance to entertain themselves with a bit of Tennis Hubris, you can understand us wanting to grab the opportunity before it all goes nipples up.
First set: Murray* 3-3 Baghdatis: It is very breezy out there on Centre Court. Both players have been pretty tentative with their serves. Murray in particular seems short of confidence, taking a while to get used to conditions. He falls 15-30 behind, but then plays three staunch points, moving Baghdatis this way and that around the court before polishing him off at the net. The first hint of trouble for either player, and Murray comes through the test with flying colours. His first serve isn't working at all, though.
First set: Murray 3-4 Baghdatis*: A long rally to open, with Murray eventually duffing a forehand into the net, an unforced error. Then he chases after a ball heading wide right, and slips over in the slapstick banana-skin-under-boot style, the soles of both shoes facing up as he skitters hysterically across the turf. But he's OK. The game soon goes west for Murray, though. Yet another game goes to serve. Here come the new balls!
First set: Murray* 4-4 Baghdatis: Some more British Tennis Hubris, courtesy of Twitter obsessive and sometime footballer Rio Ferdinand: "The pressure on @andy_murray to WIN is through the roof! Good luck fella! Gotta win this now Nadals out though hahahaha!" Ah, the myriad delights of our have-your-say culture. And here follow the dangers of Tennis Hubris! After losing the opening point - it happens - Murray carelessly goes 0-30 down by ballooning a forehand miles long. He booms what is basically (but not quite) an ace to grab back one point, but a weak second serve sees him fall 15-40 down. He brings it back to deuce with a marvellous short slice - OFFICIAL GUARDIAN OH-I-SAY-OMETER? B to F - then a strange mix of passing shot and lob which nearly flies out but lands on the baseline. At deuce, the pair take turns to honk useless forehands into the net, before Murray closes it out. A close shave. Rio would do well to pipe down.
First set: Murray 4-5 Baghdatis*: Murray brings it back to 30-30 after losing the first two points, then stiffs a weak return of his opponent's poor second serve into the net. What a chance to earn himself his first break point of the match. He battles to deuce, but after a couple of Homeric rallies - one running to 26 strokes - Baghdatis tucks the game away. That's the closest Murray has got to his opponent's serve; Baghdatis is certainly on top at the moment, even if the margins are small.
First set: Murray* 5-5 Baghdatis: We're at the business end of the set now, and Murray settles his nerves with his best two first serves of the match so far, the first sliced miles to the left and out of Baghdatis' reach, the second a big boom straight down the middle. He advances to the net to put away the third point of the game, and despite being passed for the fourth, polishes the game off easily enough.
First set: Murray 6-5 Baghdatis*: Baghdatis moves Murray around hither and yon before advancing to the net to claim one point. Murray wafts a loose forehand into the net to concede another. At 40-15, Murray's body language suggests he's given up the ghost in this game, but appearances can be deceptive. He fights back to deuce, then engages Baghdatis in a long rally, waiting for the mistake that comes to give Murray his first break point of the match. He can't convert the first one. But the second one is in the bag, courtesy of an over-ambitious cross-court chip by Baghdatis - D to E - which flies well wide of the left-hand sideline. That wasn't the prettiest game by Murray, but what battling qualities he showed there. If he holds his serve, he's won the opening set.
Murray wins the first set 7-5: Murray slices, and advances to the net. The resulting drop shot into Baghdatis' right service court gives him two set points. And he only needs one, claiming the opening set with his first ace of the game. Timely. In the crowd, there are some British tennis fans sitting in lettered t-shirts to support their man: M... U... R... R... Y. Oh dear. Can anyone give them an A?
Second set: Murray 7-5, 0-1 Baghdatis*: A brilliant rat-a-tat rally, Murray at the net, but Baghdatis still dictating the point from the baseline. Murray scrambles this way and that, but eventually the Cypriot wins the point, his opponent diving full length a la Boris Becker but not quite getting there. Spectacular stuff, and great fun. There's a lot less of this sort of nonsense at Wimbledon these days, and the tournament's not better for it. Baghdatis holds to love.
Second set: Murray* 7-5, 1-1 Baghdatis: Murray takes to the double-handed backhand with relish. He's hitting quite a few of them. Baghdatis wins the first point with a clever drop shot - OFFICIAL GUARDIAN OH-I-SAY-OMETER? B to F - and takes the game to 30-30 but makes no more inroads, Murray seeing the game out calmly with two decent serves. Seeing we're fiddling around with gadgets, what does this here IBM SlamTracker say? Well, it was pretty level during that first set: Murray hit 12 winners to 10, but Baghdatis served better, getting 59% of his first serves in to Murray's 50%. Neither number is much to boast about, but there is a good old draught blowing through Centre Court, so be fair.
Second set: Murray 7-5, 2-1 Baghdatis*: Murray, his tail up, wheechs into a 0-30 lead. Then at 15-30 a quite outstanding shot, a sliced effort from the back of the court which drops just over the net - OFFICIAL GUARDIAN OH-I-SAY-OMETER? H to D - and forces Baghdatis, rushing to the net in panic, to balloon long. He's got two break points, but can't take either, Baghdatis winning the first with a blistering cross-court forehand from his left service court to Murray's left-hand sideline, then coming out on top in a 975-shot rally, both players looking at one point like they'd bagged it. Murray works himself another chance with a backhand down the left-hand sideline followed by a whip through the open court, and it's third time lucky, Baghdatis stiffing a return into the net. This game is far from a done deal - it's pretty damn close overall - but Murray's shading the margins. A sense that he's slowly getting on top, though the gap looks bigger on the scoreboard.
Second set: Murray* 7-5, 2-2 Baghdatis: A gorgeous drop shot by Murray - OFFICIAL GUARDIAN OH-I-SAY-OMETER? D to E - ensures he wins the first point. He larrups a forehand into the net to lose the second. He hammers down his second ace of the evening - then needlessly nets another forehand! That is very careless. He just had to open his body up and pelt that through Baghdatis' left service court to claim the point. What a snatcher. The game goes to deuce - whereupon Murray falls again as Baghdatis moves to break point. And then a very strange incident, a ball working its way out of Murray's pocket (behave) during the rally, forcing the referee to call a let. He was on his way to losing that point, as he was in the middle of shanking a forehand miles into the sky, so that's a huge break. But he doesn't take advantage. He wins the replayed point, but loses the next, and then double faults, handing the break straight back to Baghdatis.
Second set: Murray 7-5, 2-3 Baghdatis*: Baghdatis hits one of the wildest first serves you're likely to see. Aiming for Murray's left service court, he skelps the ball into the left-hand side of the net, nearer the left sideline than the centre service line! A couple of long forehands later, he's 0-40 down. But Murray can't convert any of his three break points, and we're back to deuce. Oh dear. The third one sees him throwing a hissy fit as an attempt at a passing shot balances on the top of the cord and drops back. Racquet waft, racquet swish, swearie swear swear. Another break point's passed up by Murray. Baghdatis has the chance to close the game out, but sends a weak forehand into the net, then hits a backhand long. A fifth break point for Murray! And again he can't make it, the pair exchanging a series of sliced backhands, a passage of play that seems to pass for comedy in leafy south-west London, before Baghdatis works Murray out wide and polishes him off at the net. Then a sixth break point, and yes, you know it. Baghdatis saves it with probably the point of the match, a ludicrous rally which looked to have been won by a Murray lob, only for the Cypriot to scamper back and turn it round. Finally Baghdatis wraps it up. That was nigh on pathetic by Murray, especially after giving away his break before. You can't be passing up six break points in a game. He'll have the full funk on about that, I should imagine. It'll hurt. He'll do well to save his own serve after that blow, I reckon.
Second set: Murray* 7-5, 2-4 Baghdatis: Murray wafts a forehand into the net. Is he losing the plot? Not a bit of it. He wins the second point, then makes it 30-15 with a gorgeous flicked backhand - OFFICIAL GUARDIAN OH-I-SAY-OMETER? E to D. But he balloons an easy forehand long, and there goes that momentum. He slices a forehand wide of the left sideline, and Baghdatis wins the break point. He only needed one. Murray doesn't look happy at all, but he's only got himself to blame for this turn of events. He's suddenly playing very poorly, and very passively indeed.
Second set: Murray 7-5, 2-5 Baghdatis*: A couple of long, long rallies. Baghdatis comes out on top, pushing Murray into the corners, forcing errors. Murray pulls it back to 30-30 with a screeching service return through the left service court. Then he sets up a break point, chasing down a drop shot, but slips as he does so, going over on his left ankle. He yelps as he goes over, but seems OK. However, Baghdatis wins the next three points to close out the game. It's hard to see Murray coming back in this set. And he'll do well to turn this momentum around. He sits back down at the changeover and smiles ruefully, but you can bet he's not happy at all. "The Murray / Lendl dynamic is pretty interesting don't you think?" asks Simon McMahon. "One a robotic, unsmiling, outsider who lost his first three Grand Slam finals and craves Wimbledon above all other tournaments, the other a... well, you can insert your own punch line." Although Murray's not going to win any eight slams, is he?
Second set: Murray* 7-5, 3-5 Baghdatis: Another ball falls out of Murray's breeks! He loses the point automatically this time, although he'd managed to catch the ball as it squirted out into the light. He's unconvincing for a while, but at 30-30 whips a tasty cross-court forehand - OFFICIAL GUARDIAN OH-I-SAY-OMETER? C to H - and then closes the game out, at least forcing Baghdatis to serve out if he wants his set.
Baghdatis wins the second set 6-3, to level the match up at 1-1: Baghdatis moves fairly serenely to 40-15, two set points, but then tightens up a bit, allowing Murray to bring the game back to deuce. He appears to be ever so slightly on the ropes - a second serve at deuce - but Murray dumps a godawful forehand into the net, and his chance to pressurise is gone. As is the set. It's 1-1, and Murray has a lot to think about.
Yep, Murray's got plenty to think about, that's for sure. And he'll have a little time in which to do it, because with the light fading they're going to close the roof on Centre Court. The players will be back at 9.25pm (it's 9.05pm now) when the thing's shut. A finish tonight now looks unlikely, unless one player comes out all guns blazing; they can only play until 11pm. At which point they'll come back on Monday. Murray was a break up in that set, and took his foot off the pedal disastrously. Playing like this - so passively, so unsure of foot and action - he's got no chance of winning this game, never mind reaching the final or winning a slam.
While we wait, anyone fancy some IBM SlamTracker action? Sure you do. And there are a couple of worrying stats for Murray: he only hit seven winners in that second set, compared with Baghdatis' 16. And most crucially of all, he could only convert one of ten - ONE OF TEN - break points. His opponent clipped away two from three. I blame Rio "Good luck fella! Gotta win this now Nadals out though hahahaha!" Ferdinand for this shambles in its entirety.
Incidentally, the winner of this game will play Marin ?ili?, the winner of Queens, who saw off Sam Querrey in a classic. He won one hell of a match. Look at this scoreline: 7-6, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 17-15. Dearie me.
9.30pm: You know that thing about 9.25pm? That was a lie. We've been fed a line!
9.35pm: The roof is shut. The lights are on. The players return to the court. Baghdatis is smiling broadly, Murray frowning like only Murray can. This will continue until 11pm - unless they get special permission. From who, I have no idea. The tournament organiser? The police? London Transport? "81 games played by Cilic and Querrey! Assuming the average set has 9 games that's the best of 9 they've played, never mind best of 5. What do the ladies have to say about that, eh? Regards, Gilles Simon." Some blistering tennis satire there, brought to you by the pen of this report's other author / only reader Simon McMahon.
9.40pm: With a marvellous atmosphere cooking on Centre Court, the players get going again. It is on! Murray will serve first in the third set, 36 minutes after the last point. The MURRY lads still haven't found an A, by the way.
Third set: Murray* 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 Baghdatis: Murray wins the first couple of points with big serves, but Baghdatis whips a forehand past his opponent to make it 30-15. Murray responds wonderfully, with two huge aces. With no wind any more, expect both players to go for it.
Third set: Murray 7-5, 3-6, 1-1 Baghdatis*: Technical and temper issues prevent me from REWRITING THE LONG ENTRY I'VE JUST LOST TO THE ETHER. Suffice to say Murray was looking good at 0-30, but was hanging his head four miserable points later.
Third set: Murray* 7-5, 3-6, 2-1 Baghdatis: Tell you what, that was as fuss-free a service game from Murray as he's had all evening.
Third set: Murray 7-5, 3-6, 2-2 Baghdatis*: Murray begins another Baghdatis service game strongly, whipping a forehand winner right to left: OFFICIAL GUARDIAN OH-I-SAY-OMETER? H to C. Then a long rally ends in a Baghdatis forehand error; once again, Murray is 0-30 on his opponent's serve. And at 15-30, what defence from Murray, who manages to chase back and dig out what looked like a lost cause near the corner of the left-hand sideline and baseline, forcing another error from Baghdatis, who nets tragically. That's two more break points for Murray. And guess what? Yep. Deuce. Ace. Booming serve. Serve held. Murray can't keep passing up these chances. I sense an almost total lack of belief at the moment.
Third set: Murray* 7-5, 3-6, 2-3 Baghdatis: Murray begins his service game with a double fault. He's got his knee taped up since the break, by the way, and he's running quite gingerly. He then stuffs a lame forehand into the net. And then fires a backhand long. This is hopeless. Baghdatis has three break points, and he's not as profligate as Murray, taking the second with a blistering backhand down the right sideline. This is fairly similar stuff from Murray to the second set: giving up chances to break, then losing his own serve. He's in real trouble here. This is a wholly unconvincing display.
Third set: Murray 7-5, 3-6, 2-4 Baghdatis*: Centre Court is pretty damn quiet, which given the roof has turned it into an echo chamber, is saying something. Everyone knows Murray's bid to stay in this tournament is looking shaky. Murray has taken to finding the net, unforced mistakes, with depressing regularity. It's 30-15, but then Baghdatis loses rhythm, and suddenly he's gifted Murray his 15th break point of the match. But he's taken only two of them, and he doesn't add to that total here, netting another appalling forehand. At deuce, Baghdatis scorches Murray with a passing shot down the left sideline, and he's another game closer to the third set.
Third set: Murray* 7-5, 3-6, 3-4 Baghdatis: Murray keeps hoicking forehands into the net. This is pitiful. There's another. But at 0-15, upon hammering another ball into the net, he gets a lucky net cord. And then at 15-15, another lucky net cord, which confuses Baghdatis into netting one himself. Will this change his mindset? Because he's playing like a drain, and should really be 0-40 down in this game. Well, we'll see, but he closes this game out, and is at least still in this set, albeit one break down.
Third set: Murray 7-5, 3-6, 4-4 Baghdatis*: "Murray desperately needs something to get him going," sighs Simon McMahon. "May I suggest that, after reappearing under the roof with a strapping on his knee that doesn't seem to have done him much good, he now needs to paint on a Harry Potter scar at the next changeover and, if that doesn't work, go for the full 'arrow through head' comedy routine." Oh he needs something alright, or he'll be driving home tonight in a square-wheeled collapsing car. He tries to find it at the opening of this game, winning the first point with a blistering return, followed by a holler of COME ON!!! It seems to get him going, because he sets up a 16th break point with a delicious slice down the left sideline, followed by a dainty dink at the net. Pushing off to chase down a drop shot, he falls yet again, and now grabs his groin. But he's got a 17th to fall back on - and Baghdatis obliges by wafting a preposterously weak drop shot into the net. We're back on terms!
Third set: Murray* 7-5, 3-6, 5-4 Baghdatis: Murray suddenly has his tail up. Meanwhile Baghdatis is beginning to look slightly loose all of a sudden; having drawn Murray into the net with a clever drop, he doesn't put away the passing shot, hitting it needlessly long. Murray holds to love, Baghdatis blootering the final point miles behind the baseline. He's ridden his luck in this set, and played badly for most of it. But now he's one game away from taking it.
Third set: Murray 7-5, 3-6, 5-5 Baghdatis*: Murray is looking to play some shots now. He sends a fizzing forehand just wide right of the sideline. But Baghdatis might be feeling some pressure all of a sudden. He double faults, then follows it up with a weak second serve, allowing Murray to cream a forehand into the right-hand corner: OFFICIAL GUARDIAN OH-I-SAY-OMETER? A to H. Then it's amateur hour. At 15-30, with the set within sniffing distance, Murray hits a couple of loose shots to allow Baghdatis to 40-30. And then from deuce, Murray nets another, then stops midpoint with the ball still alive, allowing Baghdatis to close out the game. More chances - albeit half-ones this time - go begging. Murray can't keep on like this.
Third set: Murray* 7-5, 3-6, 6-5 Baghdatis:
Murray goes 30-0 up with a couple of faultless serves. But then throws in his fourth double fault of the evening - and once again a ball pops out of his pocket, meaning he forfeits a point he would otherwise have won. This is unspeakably pathetic. This isn't good news for Murray, it isn't good news for Adidas. Within seconds, he's facing break point at a crucial juncture. In a staunch manner, he digs out a superlative serve to save it, then closes out the game. He's leading this set again, and guaranteed of at least a tiebreak, but what a meal he made of that game. What a great game for Nike.
Murray wins the third set 7-5 to take a 2-1 lead! The game begins with a long rally, Baghdatis losing patience and whomping miles behind the baseline. It's an error he repeats at 30-15. And Murray smells blood, moving Baghdatis right and left along the baseline before stitching him up with a backspinning drop shot. Baghdatis skitters along the turf on his Aristotle, in the slapstick style. Then from indignity to full-on misery: Murray converts the set point with a creamer of a passing shot down the left, OFFICIAL GUARDIAN OH-I-SAY-OMETER? G to A. OFFICIAL GUARDIAN SCREAMOMETER?: AAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! Murray is quite happy about this turn of events.
Fourth set: Murray* 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 1-0 Baghdatis: It's 10.36pm. Murray won't be getting ahead of himself, but will surely be looking to finish this set off in 24 minutes, so he can have a worry-free Sunday. Baghdatis slips over at one point, then takes an age to get back up, before slowly towelling himself down. Down the other end, Murray gesticulates at the referee, clearly of the opinion that his opponent wants to run down the clock and come back refreshed. He's obviously in a much more positive frame of mind. He wins the game to love. "Andy Murray, for all of his antipathy towards it, is pretty much the England football team transposed into tennis, with slightly better progression in the big tournaments," suggests Gary Naylor, proving that comedy is mainly about the timing.
Fourth set: Murray 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 2-0 Baghdatis*: Murray is putting an extra little juice into his forehands. There's a real sense of urgency with him now. He's beginning to find the corners. Baghdatis meanwhile is beginning to hit more and more loose shots, blootering balls out of play with half the court to aim for. The game goes to deuce, then Murray unleashes a stonking cross-court forehand - OFFICIAL GUARDIAN OH-I-SAY-OMETER? A to H - to set up his 19th break point of the game. His stats remain at 4/19. Then another A to H forehand, and he's 20 break points in the hole! This, however, is getting old; he wafts a dismal second-serve return into the net. No matter, here comes No21, after a long rally from the back of the court. Oh for goodness sake; deuce. But number 22's a goer - though only because Baghdatis double-faults. What a farcical game.
Fourth set: Murray* 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 3-0 Baghdatis: By all accounts, The Man is only prepared to sanction a couple of extra minutes past 11pm to finish a game, but even if we end that game at 5-0, it'll be no dice. We'll be back on Monday. Murray, perhaps mindful of the slim chance of finishing this in the next 11 minutes, holds his serve to a fuss-free love.
Fourth set: Murray 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 3-1 Baghdatis*: A fairly easy hold for Baghdatis. It's now 10.52pm. This situation is a wee bit silly.
Fourth set: Murray* 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 4-1 Baghdatis: One interminable rally apart, this was another uneventful hold of serve. It's 10.56pm. What a complete farce.
Fourth set: Murray 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 5-1 Baghdatis*: After the turnaround, it's 10.58pm. Baghdatis, teetering on the edge of defeat, is doing everything he can to take this to Monday. He's sauntering around between points like Algernon Moncrieff. And he's sticking forehands into the net - two of them - then another long. Murray has two break points - and it's 10.59pm! And as the clock strikes 11pm, Baghdatis hits long! Will they be allowed to continue? Will Murray be able to serve this match out? This is ludicrous. He's got to race to start the game, with the referee loitering at the edge of the court!
Yes, Murray manages to start the game! Even if it was a few seconds past 11pm when he whistled his first serve down. They won't stop this now.
And - at 11.02pm - Murray serves out to love! He wins 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1, and will face Marin ?ili? in round four! Phew. What a preposterous finale. The pair embrace warmly, then stop to sign a few autographs for happy little children WHICH CONSIDERING THE TIME ISSUES PROBABLY DIRECTLY CONTRAVENES HEALTH AND SAFETY LEGISLATION. Bad Andy! Bad Marcos! Anyway, Murray will be delighted with that, after looking in a complete state midway through the third set. What a turnaround. Hats off to him. It's still on, folks, it's still on.
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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jun/30/andy-murray-wimbledon-live
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Andy Murray thrills late-night Wimbledon crowd by beating Baghdatis
Late-night Wimbledon crowd behave as if they are in the mosh-pit at a Take That concert as they see Andy Murray win
We'd been here before with Andy Murray, these late-night sittings. Stanislas Wawrinka 2009, Ivan Ljubicic 2011: we'd held his hand as the evening stretched out ahead of us, requiring epic concentration from him and, from us, a little tighter bladder control.
So the fans on Centre Court knew what was expected of them. As the roof folded back across a purpling sky, they pulled out bobble hats and hoodies. They checked the last train home. And some of them decided to miss it anyway. Even a number of those who'd sat out the Cilic-Querrey epic headed straight for the resell booth to get in on the action.
Murray's match had begun in a rather jaunty atmosphere; at 9.30pm it took on a strained, more serious tone. The lights expose and harshen the scene, and the roof does something to those famous Centre Court sounds ? amplifies them, traps them, darkens them. Even restrained applause sounds like hailstones on the windowpanes of a stately home; once Murray was closing in on the match, his eyes steely and his body sensing the kill, the noise was utterly raw.
We knew we were in for a spectacle from the beginning. Murray's very first point against Marcos Baghdatis was a stunner of volleys and impossible retrievals; the first game had lobs, drops, 360 degree turns on the baseline; the first set, everything in the sweetshop. This wasn't the grinding out of points, this was play. It was dance. The players were peppering the ball back from all over the grass. One rally, at 2-2 in the second set, segued into a short tennis game of ever more cleverly spun drifters. There was sliding, skipping, rolling around on the floor. Ilie Nastase, in the royal box, must have been thrilled, but you felt for the poor groundsmen who have to tidy this place up for the Olympics.
Baghdatis had smiled a lot. Murray smiled less, but, well, he's Murray, and to be honest when he flashes the gnashers it's sort of scary. And it felt, somehow, that he, and we, had grown up. He has pecs, for a start. We've started referring respectfully to Kim Sears as his 'partner', rather than his girlfriend. We've stopped shouting 'C'mon Tim!' when he plays (I've been told there are even websites where you can post pictures of offenders and out them, to their eternal shame).
And we no longer hang our hopes on his coathanger shoulders, in near-hysterical fashion, as if nothing but a Wimbledon champion will make our lives complete. Maybe it's the after effect of the Jubilee or the anticipatory thrill of the Olympics. (Witness the generally fair-minded and rational response to England's exit from the Euros. No national flagellation, no inquests.) Considering the surplus bunting currently available, you'd have expected Centre Court to be decked out like Margate High Street: but there were only a couple flags draped round shoulders, and that looked like it was for warmth. Everything just seemed less, well, fraught. One woman in the crowd was even knitting.
That was before the roof. It changed the complexion of everything, even the royal box. It had sat relatively empty at the start of the match ? a group of panama hats occupying the chairs as if their wearers had been disapparated, Harry Potter style, where they sat. But as the match proceeded, some of the box's clutch of sporting legends returned ? which had included Jack Nicklaus, Dame Kelly Holmes, Ryan Giggs ? and remained fixed points, revelling in the combat.
Baghdatis took the second set. Murray looked wilder. He yelled. He pointed at his own head and screamed. At times it felt like things were getting out of control, becoming almost surreal, like when the ball kept hopping in and out of Murray's pocket. By the end, the two competitors were slugging at each other, their groundstrokes hit with desperate ferocity, and what had seemed like play was becoming a deadly duel. The crowd's handclap, when Murray called for Hawk-Eye, sounded like bloodlust. Baghdatis was still smiling, but it was a weary smile. Murray went 3-1 up, 4-1, 5-1, and suddenly it was 11pm, and the umpire was agreeing to one last game, and the sound that went up from the crowd was like something from the mosh pit at a Take That concert.
Of course, this being SW19, it was also a self-policing sound, and was soon overtaken by a wave of "shhhh" as their champion stood to serve one last time. By the match-winning point, the scoreboard couldn't keep up. It didn't matter. The crowd had had their day ? and so had Murray.
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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/jul/01/andy-murray-marcos-baghdatis-late-night
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Ile De Re lands Northumberland Plate for Donald McCain at Newcastle
? Well-backed favourite hangs on for gutsy win in heavy ground
? Winner is first to land big-race double since Attivo in 1974
Ile De Re, who won the Chester Cup on testing ground in early May, drew on his deep reserves of stamina and courage once again at Newcastle on Saturday as he stayed on strongly to win the John Smith's Northumberland Plate and complete a double that was last achieved in 1974.
Jim Crowley, who often encountered heavy ground at Newcastle in his former career as a jump jockey, committed for home in the desperate conditions on Ile De Re, the 5-2 favourite, but while Icon Dream ? ridden by Graham Lee, another former jump jockey ? and Crackentorp tried to raise a challenge, neither could find as much as the winner.
"I used to ride a lot of jump winners round here so it's a race I've always wanted to win," Crowley said. "We got caught wide early on which wasn't where I wanted to be but I let him bowl along down the back and used his stamina and it's won him the race. I wanted to make a lot of use of him from a long way out to take the sting out of the others."
Donald McCain, who took over from Ian Williams as Ile De Re's trainer just a few weeks before his win at Chester, has now saddled him for a double that was last completed by Attivo, in the colours of Sir Peter O'Sullevan.
"He got stuck out a bit wide and a bit far back and then got a bit keen," McCain said, "so Jim let him get on with it. It meant he was in front a long way from home but our horses tend to be in that position often and whenever one has come to him he's gone again."
Lee had earlier recorded his first Group-race success since switching from the winter code when successful on Maarek in the Chipchase Stakes. The winner, who is trained in Ireland by David Nagle, was returning to Britain just a week after finishing sixth in the Wokingham Stakes on the final day of Royal Ascot, and found a good finishing kick in the gruelling conditions to win by two lengths.
"He's a very tough horse and he just loves this soft ground," Nagle said. "We'll enter him in all the six-furlong Group races coming up while the ground is like this, as he handles it so well. He could go to Haydock for the Group [Sprint Cup], or he could go to France, but he won't go anywhere unless the ground is soft."
Paul Hanagan, the champion jockey for the last two seasons, was taken to hospital for x-rays on his arm after being injured in a fall at Newmarket.
Hanagan, who is now retained to ride as the number one jockey for leading owner Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum, was riding No Dominion, who clipped the heels of Viewpoint, ridden by Richard Hughes, near the halfway point of the Tattersalls Millions Cup.
"We've heard that he might have cracked his elbow," Angus Gold, Sheikh Hamdan's racing manager, said later. "Either that or it's badly bruised. As well as that, he's got a dead leg. If it's the elbow, it could be serious and that will be a shame as he's just getting going."
The winner of the race was John Gosden's Michelangelo, who runs in the colours of Bjorn Nielsen and could now attempt to emulate the success of the same owner's Masked Marvel in the St Leger at Doncaster in September. William Buick rode a confident race on the 5-6 favourite, and swept through the field readily before stretching three lengths clear at the line.
"It's fast ground and the distance isn't ideal for mile-and-a-half bred horses," Gosden said. "He did it well and I will look at either the Gordon Stakes [at Glorious Goodwood] or the Great Voltigeur [at York's Ebor meeting]."
Libranno, one of the leading juveniles of the 2010 season, won the Criterion Stakes for the second year running under a confident front-running ride by Richard Hughes. Hoof It, who was placed at Group One level last season and the favourite for this Group Three event, was only sixth.
"He wasn't showing any sparkle earlier in the season, but he's back in top form now," Richard Hannon Jr, representing his father, said. "I'd say there's a good chance he'll come back here for the July Cup now.
"There are other options as well like the Prix Maurice de Gheest [at Deauville] and a couple of races in Turkey."
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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jun/30/ile-de-re-northumberland-plate-newcastle
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Bashar al-Assad's fate left open after Syria crisis talks
Representatives agree that transitional government should be set up, but role Syrian president might play left open
International powers have agreed that a transitional government should be set up in Syria to end the bloodshed there but left open the question of what part President Bashar al-Assad might play in the process.
Peace envoy Kofi Annan said after talks in Geneva that the government should include members of Assad's administration and the Syrian opposition to pave the way for free elections.
"It is for the people to come to a political agreement but time is running out," Annan said in concluding remarks.
"We need rapid steps to reach agreement. The conflict must be resolved through peaceful dialogue and negotiations." The Geneva talks had been billed as a last-ditch effort to halt the worsening violence in Syria, but hit obstacles as Russia, Assad's most powerful ally, opposed western and Arab insistence that he must quit.
The final communique said the transitional government "could include members of the present government and the opposition and other groups and shall be formed on the basis of mutual consent".
But in a victory for Russian diplomacy, it omitted language contained in a previous draft which explicitly said it "would exclude from government those whose continued presence and participation would undermine the credibility of the transition and jeopardise stability and reconciliation".
Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said he was "delighted" with the result as it meant no foreign solution was being imposed on Syria.
But US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said it sent a clear message to Assad that he must step down.
"Assad will still have to go," Clinton told a news conference after the meeting ended.
"What we have done here is to strip away the fiction that he and those with blood on their hands can stay in power."
Annan called the meeting to salvage a peace plan that has largely been ignored by the Assad government. He stressed that the transition must be led by Syrians and meet their legitimate aspirations.
"No one should be in any doubt as to the extreme dangers posed by the conflict ? to Syrians, to the region, and to the world," he said in opening remarks.
His plan for a negotiated solution to the 16-month-old conflict is the only one on the table and its failure would doom Syria to even more violence. More than 10,000 people have been killed since the anti-Assad uprising broke out and the past few weeks have been among the bloodiest.
Highlighting the deteriorating situation on the ground, Syrian government forces pushed their way into Douma on the outskirts of Damascus on Saturday after weeks of siege and shelling. Fleeing residents spoke of corpses lying in the streets.
The army also attacked pro-opposition areas in Deir al-Zor, Homs, Idlib and the outskirts of Damascus, opposition activists said.
The British foreign secretary, William Hague, said Assad and his close associates could not lead any transition. Accountability for war crimes must be part of such a process, he added in his speech to the meeting.
Hague called for the UN security council to start drafting a resolution next week setting out sanctions against Syria, a move that he noted put him at odds with Russia.
The foreign ministers of the council's five permanent members ? Russia, the United States, China, France and Britain ? all attended along with Turkey, Kuwait, Qatar, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
Notably uninvited were Iran, Syria's closest regional ally, and Saudi Arabia, a foe of both Damascus and Tehran and leading backer of the rebel forces opposing Assad. Nor was anyone from the Syrian government or opposition represented.
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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/30/bashar-al-assad-syria-talks
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10 contenders for the elite national cycling championships
Brian Canty
Matthew Brammeier is looking to follow in the footsteps of Davy O’Loughlin and David McCann when he goes in search of his third Irish National senior road race title at the weekend in Clonmel.
Brammeier would be the first man ever to make it three wins-in-a-row and it’s hardly surprising that he will start as one of the pre-race favourites for the 167 kilometre hike.
Here, we look at who else is likely to challenge the reigning champion for top honours.
David McCann
It’s quite astonishing when you consider the likeable Belfast man is still able to cut it at the highest level despite being eligible for the Veteran’s race next year.
That ‘last chance saloon’ tag, if you could call it that – aiming for honours in the elite race is sure to provide some motivation for him but it’s the scores of people that have questioned his inclusion for the London Games, including myself, admittedly, that is also likely to drive McCann.
He’s been third twice, runner-up on three occasions so it’s fair to say, the nationals that has always been kind to McCann.
McCann keeps his shape year-round and despite a horrific injury to his thumb in the Tour of Korea prior to last month’s An Post Rás, he has shrugged that off and appears to be in ominous form once again.
The course will suit him to an extent but if it was harder, he would perhaps do better.
McCann is liked for his aggressive racing and in the aftermath of his bronze medal last year he spoke about the negativity as one reason for him not finishing higher, though he did get third.
In fact, in Scotstown last year he spent half a lap away on his own which probably cost him in the finish but getting away from Roche (albeit hampered by his bad crash at the Dauphine) and Bennett was an incredible performance from the ageless northerner.
Expect something similar this time around.
Sam Bennett
It’s unclear how Bennett is following his DNS at the Boucles de la Mayenne (UCI 2.2) four-day in France but one thing is certain, and it’s that Bennett, sooner or later, will win a National championships at Elite level.
But it probably won’t be this year, not the elite category anyway.
The reserve man for the Olympics has had a very, very impressive season to date, stringing a couple of good months in Belgium (April and May) into the Rás where he, again, underlined his sprinting ability with a couple of top 10 placings but Sunday’s race is going to be harder, arguably, than any of the above.
What will assist Bennett, of course, is his team and should Sean Downey and/or McLaughlin and/or McConvey make it into the break, then the dynamic changes.
Simply put, if he’s there with a kilometre to go, he should podium, but a win is probably a year or two too early.
The U23 category could see him become the first man in Irish history to make it three-wins-in-a-row.
Paidi O’Brien
Runner-up twice, third place three times, it’s one of the great misfortunes that the Cork-based Dan Morrissey/Speedy Spokes fast-man hasn’t actually yet won a senior title.
Pipped in 2007 by Davy O’Loughlin in Waterford will probably be one of his biggest regrets, or ‘could have beens’ but there’s still enough kick in O’Brien’s legs to contend for a podium finish.
With the backing of a team, in Mick Fitzgerald particularly, it would take a brave man to write O’Brien off if he succeeds in getting into the escape and holding the pace until the finish.
Peter Hawkins
The Belfast rider, employed by the British IG Sigma Sport team, is enjoying a stellar season that has already seen him scoop the Des Hanlon, a string of lesser-known races in his home province, an eye-catching number of top 10 finishes at the Rás (including the Mamore Gap stage), as well as last week’s
Hawkins told stickybottle back in December that the National circuit race series and the Halfords Tour series were his top priorities – but he didn’t mention the nationals.
He could still be a threat.
Adam Armstrong
What’s there to say about Armstrong that hasn’t been said already.
The precociously talented youngster has taken his cycling to a whole new level this year and as well as winning the KOH jersey at Rás Mumhan, a plethora of wins already this season, as well as a podium finish at the Rás, it will be interesting to see how he has come out of that.
He didn’t feature last year but has the potential to last the pace with the big guns.
Expect him to ride aggressively and if he gets in the break, he has the horse-power to contend, like he showed on stage six of the Rás with Ireland’s first podium finish.
Nicolas Roche
Roche has stood on all steps of the podium and it would take a brave man to bet against him standing on it again this year.
With the Tour just over a week away and the Dubliner looking in ominous form with a top 10 finish at the Tour de Suisse, he’s the man that will attract all the attention wherever he goes.
The course is a difficult one, and there won’t be many who have the legs and the horsepower to match Roche when he inevitably puts the hammer down.
Two climbs in such close proximity to one another is going to blow the race to pieces and Roche is likely to be the one causing the damage.
Riding the Tour de France as national champion is something he has fond memories of in the past and it’s bound to motivate him again.
Ronan McLaughlin
Hardly a dark horse anymore, the Donegal rider is just improving all the time and a National crown would be the perfect reward for the rider of the Rás.
That race gave him very little, a few awesome rides tempered by near misses and crashes, his eight-day ordeal sums up the sport in many ways, unforgiving.
But McLaughlin is tough as teak and should be capable of improving on his sixth place last year.
Philip Deignan
The Letterkenny man is one of the great enigmas of Irish cycling; capable of being awesome one minute and average the next.
One of only two Irish riders to win a stage of a Grand Tour in 20 years is a stat that no one can take from Deignan but that win in the Vuelta in 2009 is now almost three years ago and it remains to be seen if we’ll ever see him at that level again.
Now based in Dublin but riding for the UnitedHealthcare team, Deignan has dropped down from World Tour level but has ridden quite well this year so far, including some magnificent rides in the Tour of Turkey.
But that was in April. Like we said, hit or miss. If he hits form, it will be hard to beat him. But all too often, it’s been miss.
Philip Lavery
Another who is riding a slightly lower level than what he was last year, Lavery is still one of the most promising, if not the most, in the country right now and his aggressive style has earned him huge respect.
Winner of the Shay Eliott this year as well as Wednesday’s nights prestigious Stephen Roche GP are just some of the highlights of his year so far but winning an U23 title is what Lavery would want more than anything.
Like Bennett, the elite title is probably a few years away yet but will be one of the main players in the battle for that much sought-after u23 crown.
Honourable mentions: Connor McConvey, Sean Downey, Ryan Sherlock, Mark Dowling, Patrick Clarke.
Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/at1RCYxkjzw/post.aspx
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Pago crews reject invite
By Samoa News staff
None of the four fautasi (longboats) from American Samoa invited for Samoa?s Jubilee celebration will attend the Independence Day. On the other hand, three dance and singing groups and one cricket team will represent the territory at the annual celebration in Apia.
This was revealed by Samoan Affairs deputy secretary Nanai Afuola during a news conference Wednesday at the Office of Samoan Affairs. Samoa?s Independence Day celebration is set for May 31 to June 4 with many American Samoa residents heading to Apia for this event, which is expected to attract hundreds of overseas visitors, boosting that country?s tourism industry.
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Nigeria power supply will be among best 20 by 2020 ?Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan says power supply in Nigeria will be among the best 20 in the world in the next eight years.
Represented by Dr Samuel Ortom, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, the president said government would do everything possible to address the ?structural weaknesses standing between us and revolutionizing the power sector?.
?Some of the problems are deep, but not beyond the government. We are currently reviewing the lapses in the power sector to make it one of the best in the world in the year 2020. Nigeria is on the threshold of history, ready to join the world economic powers in the very near future?, he said.
The president said the emphasis of government was to promote the processing of the nation?s natural resources for consumable commodities, saying this would also beef up ?our export portfolio?.
He said the government?s effort at attracting local and foreign investors into the economy was yielding positive results. ?More than 16,000 local and foreign investors have registered their intentions to do business worth about N6.6 trillion in just one year,? he said.
The president lauded the MAN?s blueprint to boost the sector, assuring them that the consideration of the blueprint would be highly valued by the government and put to work.
The MAN President, Mr. Kola Jamodu, said the manufacturing sector was one of the most powerful engines for economic growth and a catalyst for transformation of the nation?s economic structure. (NAN)
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