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By Tom Fordyce
BBC Sport at Wimbledon |
Querrey 5-7 1-1 Murray *
Shadows begin to stretch across the browning Centre Court turf. Crunching boomers on first serve from Querrey, and he levels to love.
Shadows begin to stretch across the browning Centre Court turf. Crunching boomers on first serve from Querrey, and he levels to love.
* Querrey 5-7 0-1 Murray
Murray should be buoyant after that, but his first serve is suddenly rudderless - not a single first serve in, and Querrey will have two break points. He spots a gap out wide and gambles on a forehand flasher - just wide. Oooh, late call from a line-judge, and we're back to deuce. Another missed first serve - he's landing just 30% of them, and that's a huge worry - but a dropper at the net sets up advantage. Second serve again, and Querrey flails into the net. Uncle Same has only converted one of his eight break points, and he's letting Murray wriggle off the hook.
Murray should be buoyant after that, but his first serve is suddenly rudderless - not a single first serve in, and Querrey will have two break points. He spots a gap out wide and gambles on a forehand flasher - just wide. Oooh, late call from a line-judge, and we're back to deuce. Another missed first serve - he's landing just 30% of them, and that's a huge worry - but a dropper at the net sets up advantage. Second serve again, and Querrey flails into the net. Uncle Same has only converted one of his eight break points, and he's letting Murray wriggle off the hook.
FIRST SET
Querrey 5-7 Murray
You should have seen Judy Murray's reaction there - teeth gritted, fists clenched. Somewhere in Oxfordshire, Mr Henman Snr shakes his head and quietly bemoans the change in VIP box standards. I'm getting ahead of myself in games - it is of course 5-6, with Querrey now serving to stay alive. Manually refresh to get us back to where we should be. No such errors from Murray, taking the pace off the Querrey returns, forcing the big American into errors - chances here, chances for the set... taken!
You should have seen Judy Murray's reaction there - teeth gritted, fists clenched. Somewhere in Oxfordshire, Mr Henman Snr shakes his head and quietly bemoans the change in VIP box standards. I'm getting ahead of myself in games - it is of course 5-6, with Querrey now serving to stay alive. Manually refresh to get us back to where we should be. No such errors from Murray, taking the pace off the Querrey returns, forcing the big American into errors - chances here, chances for the set... taken!
Querrey 5-6 Murray
Murray suddenly slumping at precisely the wrong time - bad misjudgement on a drifting lob, leaving it alone when it's always dropping in, a backhand into the net and a lame double-fault. Three break points for the American... Murray saves one with a forehand drive, and now a second with a backhander down the line. Now then... big serve out wide - called out, he'll challenge to no avail. Second serve - good reply, Murray punting to mid-court... it's too short, he'll surely put this away - whooah, clouted wide! Lucky, lucky boy... Querrey into the net, bigger serve and another return into the embraces of the tape. He's got away with it. "Come on!" shouts the Great British Hope.
Murray suddenly slumping at precisely the wrong time - bad misjudgement on a drifting lob, leaving it alone when it's always dropping in, a backhand into the net and a lame double-fault. Three break points for the American... Murray saves one with a forehand drive, and now a second with a backhander down the line. Now then... big serve out wide - called out, he'll challenge to no avail. Second serve - good reply, Murray punting to mid-court... it's too short, he'll surely put this away - whooah, clouted wide! Lucky, lucky boy... Querrey into the net, bigger serve and another return into the embraces of the tape. He's got away with it. "Come on!" shouts the Great British Hope.
Querrey 5-5 Murray *
Ball-boys at both ends clutching sweaty towels as the two players wipe at the conclusion of each point. Can't be pleasant. Querrey holds, his third game on the bounce.
Ball-boys at both ends clutching sweaty towels as the two players wipe at the conclusion of each point. Can't be pleasant. Querrey holds, his third game on the bounce.
* Querrey 4-5 Murray
Murray's won 14 consecutive points on his own serve - make that 15. That's the end of the run for now, and at 30-15 Sam looks to have another point in the bag, only for super scampering and a teetering lob to save the day. Two set points... no, easy forehand long.... double fault! You don't think.. Adrenalized exchange at the baseline, ended when Querrey goes wide into the trams with a forehand - hmmm, is Murray nervous? Set point no.3 lost with a feeble backhand. Second serve at 87 mph, Querrey break-back point... crashing forehands, Murray in trouble, a desperate blocker ... long! Querrey has snatched it back, and Murray is furious with himself. As he should be.
Murray's won 14 consecutive points on his own serve - make that 15. That's the end of the run for now, and at 30-15 Sam looks to have another point in the bag, only for super scampering and a teetering lob to save the day. Two set points... no, easy forehand long.... double fault! You don't think.. Adrenalized exchange at the baseline, ended when Querrey goes wide into the trams with a forehand - hmmm, is Murray nervous? Set point no.3 lost with a feeble backhand. Second serve at 87 mph, Querrey break-back point... crashing forehands, Murray in trouble, a desperate blocker ... long! Querrey has snatched it back, and Murray is furious with himself. As he should be.
Querrey 3-5 Murray *
Querrey, nose dripping sweat under his rather old-skool unbranded white cap. Whipcrack serving, and he stays alive. A man in a dun-coloured fisherman's hat pulls a cellophaned sanger from his snack-bag and tears into it like a man who hasn't eaten since April.
Querrey, nose dripping sweat under his rather old-skool unbranded white cap. Whipcrack serving, and he stays alive. A man in a dun-coloured fisherman's hat pulls a cellophaned sanger from his snack-bag and tears into it like a man who hasn't eaten since April.
* Querrey 2-5 Murray
After that early scare, the Murray serve has looked impregnable - hold to love, the service spitting, the follow-up forehands dip-dashing across the tape. Sam to serve to save the set.
After that early scare, the Murray serve has looked impregnable - hold to love, the service spitting, the follow-up forehands dip-dashing across the tape. Sam to serve to save the set.
Querrey 2-4 Murray *
"Sam looking very loosey-goosey," says John McEnroe in the Beeb commentary box, but perhaps a man can be too loosey - double-fault for 15-30. Netted from Murray on the stretch, ace down the middle - 40-30. Dreamy dipping forehand down the line for deuce, but that's a solid brace of volleys from Sam. Nope - double-fault. Too goosey. Nothing to hit on that first serve, but the next forehand goes long - deuce again. Ace - ad to Uncle Sam. Encore - game.
"Sam looking very loosey-goosey," says John McEnroe in the Beeb commentary box, but perhaps a man can be too loosey - double-fault for 15-30. Netted from Murray on the stretch, ace down the middle - 40-30. Dreamy dipping forehand down the line for deuce, but that's a solid brace of volleys from Sam. Nope - double-fault. Too goosey. Nothing to hit on that first serve, but the next forehand goes long - deuce again. Ace - ad to Uncle Sam. Encore - game.
* Querrey 1-4 Murray
If it was a fortunate advantage, it's rammed home by the steely-eyed Scot - hold to love. A young chap in the crowd who looks to have just lost his front two teeth grins gappily and waves a home-made laminated sign sporting a smiley acid face and the simple but punchy message 'Go Murray'.
If it was a fortunate advantage, it's rammed home by the steely-eyed Scot - hold to love. A young chap in the crowd who looks to have just lost his front two teeth grins gappily and waves a home-made laminated sign sporting a smiley acid face and the simple but punchy message 'Go Murray'.
Querrey 1-3 Murray *
That forehand is a weapon for Querrey, and he monsters that one into the distant backhand corner. Murray standing so deep to return the lady line-judge could reach out to tickle her chin, if that were her preferred tactics. Mmmm - cheeky dropper, pulling the Queen's club champ in to the net for a weak-wristed netter. Another error when forced very wide on the forehand - break point - but he's at the net now to put it awa... yikes, into the net! Murray has the break, handed to him on a silver salver with a "compliments" note attached.
That forehand is a weapon for Querrey, and he monsters that one into the distant backhand corner. Murray standing so deep to return the lady line-judge could reach out to tickle her chin, if that were her preferred tactics. Mmmm - cheeky dropper, pulling the Queen's club champ in to the net for a weak-wristed netter. Another error when forced very wide on the forehand - break point - but he's at the net now to put it awa... yikes, into the net! Murray has the break, handed to him on a silver salver with a "compliments" note attached.
* Querrey 1-2 Murray
Lovely double-fisted backhand drives down the line for Murray, and he serves at 40-0, squinting into the sun - yup, nae dangers. Three Scottish saltires being waved down there, but it's not quite Bannockburn yet - the crowd still returning from post-Serena/Shara courtesy breaks and snack-grabs.
Lovely double-fisted backhand drives down the line for Murray, and he serves at 40-0, squinting into the sun - yup, nae dangers. Three Scottish saltires being waved down there, but it's not quite Bannockburn yet - the crowd still returning from post-Serena/Shara courtesy breaks and snack-grabs.
Querrey 1-1 Murray *
Chance here for Murray for an immediate break as his variety on the backhand foxes the square-jawed American, but that big booming serve rides to his rescue. Cheeky little fact for you: these two actually once met as juniors. The venue: US Open quarter-finals. The victor? Murray. The eventual champion? Murray. Wallop.
Chance here for Murray for an immediate break as his variety on the backhand foxes the square-jawed American, but that big booming serve rides to his rescue. Cheeky little fact for you: these two actually once met as juniors. The venue: US Open quarter-finals. The victor? Murray. The eventual champion? Murray. Wallop.
* Querrey 0-1 Murray
They've met three times before, these two - Murray leading the match-ups 3-0, including a win on the grass in Newport. Newport Rhode Island, as opposed for Casnewydd Newport. Centre Court baked hard by the sun, and these hard and fast conditions might suit the big-hitting, big-serving Californian kid. Yup - crunching forehand, then another - two break points. Umph - millimetres long from Querrey, and the crowd murmur some collective phews. Pressure to the backhand side from Murray, and he's at deuce - now advantage, moving the big unit around, and more of the same to hold onto his serve and still nerves.
They've met three times before, these two - Murray leading the match-ups 3-0, including a win on the grass in Newport. Newport Rhode Island, as opposed for Casnewydd Newport. Centre Court baked hard by the sun, and these hard and fast conditions might suit the big-hitting, big-serving Californian kid. Yup - crunching forehand, then another - two break points. Umph - millimetres long from Querrey, and the crowd murmur some collective phews. Pressure to the backhand side from Murray, and he's at deuce - now advantage, moving the big unit around, and more of the same to hold onto his serve and still nerves.
* denotes next server
1639: Now then. Bleaching sunshine, pumped crowd, big big match.
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