I am a nervous wreck. I have been looking after Florence all day which is exhausting enough but then this afternoon I watched the Murray - Ferrer match. This was the one I have been more worried about than any other as I have watched a lot of Ferrer over the last few months since getting Sky and have seen just how good he is. He is like the bunny in that ad for Duracell batteries, he just goes on and on and on and moves incredibly fast around the court. He also beat Andy recently in the French Open so it was finger nail biting time again.
The one thing that Murray does time and time again, and I wish he wouldn't, is to start slowly. He then has to play catch up before becoming dominant and winning the game. He did it again today but believe me, should he get through to the final and I SO hope he does, then whoever he meets will not allow him to catch up. As the match progressed today you could see him growing in confidence and the ground strokes got better and the serves, both first and second were earning him a huge percentage of points. I had to drive home from London and left just as they had a break for the rain. Part of me wanted to watch, part of me couldn't bear to and so I set off and by the time I arrived home and checked my phone, there was a text from my daughter to say that he had won.
Tsonga is another hurdle to get over, but have seen Murray beat him before and am less fraught about that one but still not totally confident. My feeling is he will get through, but it may be a four or five setter. I may have to go out for the day and should Andy get through to the Final may have to get the Mogadon out to get me through it.
I know that Col left me a comment disagreeing about my views on Andy (mark you he is a Scot too), but I stand by my opinion that he needs to get rid of that Kevin the Teenager slouch and body language and come out aggressively and fighting. And I would add that this was posited by Pat Cash and Boris Becker as well so it ain't just me moaning - those guys know what they are talking about. John Mac said the same and all three of them really really want him to do this.
Have just been reading the online newspaper reports about Andy's win and the nasties are out - there is one commentator who consistently attacks Murray and tells everyone that tennis is a crap game and is awful, which begs the question why does he read about it? I think he is an internet Troll, I recognise his style now and think he uses several names. Why people do this is beyond me it really is. I am not putting his user name here on Random because if it is spotted I know that I will get it in the neck as well.
So we are in the final stages now and who knows what will happen? One thing I do know, it won't be an easy ride either for Andy or for us watching. Oh how lovely it would be to have a British player who just comes out and wins in straight sets but don't think there is such a creature.
Come on Andy - do us all proud, shut the doubters up (and that includes me) and I shall be delighted to be proved wrong.