Re: The "You'll be even more popular in England if you win Wimbledon" grass thread
No jinxing allowed.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/bruce_jenkins/06/25/roddick.murray/#
Andy vs. Andy: Roddick and Murray will face off in Wimbledon final
The occasion cries out for an encore. Who wouldn't want to see Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on Centre Court in the Wimbledon final, a reprise of the greatest match ever played?
I'd like to see it as much as anyone, but it won't come down that way. Here are five reasons why Andy Roddick will be facing Andy Murray a week from Sunday:
1. Roddick has become a man. He chides the press for the ever-changing portrayal of his reputation -- upstart, hero, punk, smart-aleck, baseline robot, all-court guy, class act, he's heard it all over the years -- but there are elements of truth to that progression. He's not the same person, or the same player, who won the U.S. Open (his only major title) seven years ago.
Roddick measures his public comments now, instead of just assuming he's the smartest guy in the room. He has worked tirelessly on his game, developing variety, decent volleys and a backhand with verve and authority. Three years ago, Pete Sampras wondered if Roddick was too stubborn to change what had become a monotonous, very beatable style. The response came forth in last year's Wimbledon final, when Roddick took Federer to 16-14 in the fifth, and it was the aftermath of that crushing loss that said the most about Roddick. He realized the implications, that people appreciated the hell out of his effort, and he never stopped grinding. Right now, he looks as sharp and composed as anyone in the tournament.
"It was a privilege to play in that match, I'm very proud of it," Roddick said upon his return to the All England Club. "I'm not going to act like it's a burden now."
2. Murray's frame of mind. Quite the opposite of Roddick, Murray never quite reveals what he's thinking. This is a guy who mixed "droll" with "laconic" in his teenage years and came up with a distinct Scottish blend. Too often, Murray's intense introspection costs him dearly on the court, including a bunch of ridiculous losses this year, but he's a different man just now. Utter confidence has burst forth in his Wimbledon performances, and a sense of ease. The slightest annoyance might torment him in Dubai or Miami, but he doesn't at all mind carrying the flag of British tennis by himself. (Literally; he was the last man or woman standing after just one round, the U.K.'s worst performance in Wimbledon's 133-year history.)
3. Roddick -- at least until he plays Murray -- will be the crowd favorite in every match he plays. He earned the Centre Court patrons' respect in that Federer titanic; they were chanting his name as he awaited the ceremony. They appreciate toughness, a hard-line competitor who never gives up, and that's Roddick all the way.
"Whether it's right or wrong, maybe they appreciate the body of work I've put together at this tournament," he said this week. "You never feel like you're entitled to anything here. They can choose whether to support you or not. The fact that they were vocal about it, and have been since I came back, it's a nice thing."
4. Pomp, with a side of circumstance. Like clockwork, Queen Elizabeth II shows up at Wimbledon every 33 years. She was there for Virginia Wade's epic triumph in 1977, and sure enough, she was on hand Wednesday to watch Murray -- playing his best tennis since he reached the Australian Open final -- dispatch Jarkko Nieminen in straight sets.
The Queen didn't seem terribly engaged by the tennis, to be truthful, but it was a significant episode for Murray, who showed he understood the protocol of bowing and even unleashed a bit of humor. "You never know, I might get nervous beforehand and screw it up," he said the day before. And when asked about the desultory state of British tennis, he didn't offer the expected words of encouragement. Instead: "It's not great, is it?"
5. The big guns look vulnerable. Federer had back-to-back struggles against Alejandro Falla and a qualifier named Ilija Bozoljac, who took him to 7-6 in the fourth. Nadal lost two sets to 151st-ranked Dutchman Robin Haase. Strictly on the form we've seen to date, Roddick and Murray are outplaying the kings. They have earned their passage to Sunday. A lot of cool things have happened at Wimbledon, and that would be a very cool final.
(For those who checked SI.com's predictions before the tournament, that's right, I picked Federer to win and Roddick as the most likely "flameout" on the men's side. Things change, is all I can say. I'll look especially bad when the final turns out to be Soderling-Hewitt.)