Set and Match - The Wimbledon Final

Federer vs Murray

A Victorious Roger.

          So with the final of the Wimbledon competition having come and gone, you must admit that there was a certain amount of expectation in the media sitting upon Andy Murray. Recent form, however might have suggested that the Wimbledon title was returning to a British player for the first time in seventy-six years. This tie between the worlds number three and number four had much riding on it, but yesterday we saw the hopes of a nation outweighed by the personal ambition of the world's greatest tennis player. 

          The match between the massively  accomplished Roger Federer and the upcoming but talented Murray, had the potential to deliver the Scotsman, his first grand slam title on his fourth appearance in the final of one but despite playing with home advantage and having the crowd behind him, the young man battled hard but alas, in vain. Federer, only ever having lost one of the eight finals he had been in at SW19, knew that in order to win, he had to battle hard knowing that his opponent held an 8-7 lead over him in  head to head before this match.

          The path by which Federer came to the final appeared easy for him, however, he still lost four sets on the way. Roger won his first two games in straight sets but was almost eliminated in the third round when French 29th seed, Julien Benneteau almost beat him  but after five sets in total and two tie-breaks, the number three came through winning three sets to two. 

          A match against unseeded Belgian, Xavier Malisse, in the fourth round, provided his toughest set until a meeting with the then World number one, Novak Djokovic, in his semi final. The match which finished as three sets from four to Federer was an entertaining encounter which along with his other matches, showed the determination of the finalist to succeed, although the years 2003 to 2007, never left us in any doubt. Nevertheless, he had made the final.




          But what was to happen in the other semi-final was to make history. 

          Murray's route to the final came with wins over three unseeded opponents as well as Marin Cilic and David Ferrer but his plans were almost scuppered in his semi-final as he progressed beating a resurgent Jo Wilfried-Tsonga in a four set thriller on Friday evening.  Winning all sets bar four before the match Murray's resolve was most tested against the Frenchman who took the third set six games to three but Murray held on to take the fourth in close fought finish, beating him 7-5, narrowly avoiding a tie-break. 


          He was to join Federer on centre court on Sunday but something was different about all  of this, not since Bunny Austin's finishing runner-up in 1938, had there been a Briton in the final and two years before that since Englishman Fred Perry had won it. 




         The final section of the route Murray was taking, hadn't been tread in so long that it was practically a new road to him and the expectant media but his opponent knew the way like the back of his hand.
                                                                   -
          The match began with Federer serving and Murray taking the first two games with  the twenty five year old playing good tennis making his cross-court counterpart commit a number of errors, eventually taking the set six games to four, after an hour of play. Murray winning his first ever Grand Slam final set. It is also worthy of note that even at this early stage, the Scots' drop shot was attracting a kind of play that Federer used to pull him all about the court later in the match. 

        For now, Murray had energy to play with.

        The second set really cost the younger man the match as Federer's game really came into it's own but Murray still brought out more mistakes from him to make it look as though the Scot had every chance of winning. Nevertheless though, as the set played out, the strength, speed and skill of the soon to be seven time champion showed themselves and began forcing mistakes from Murray and midway through it, his frustrations began to show as the excellent backhand of Federer began to make a habit of twisting and pulling his rival from one place to another over the court. 


        Even on Murray's own serve, the Swiss was stretching out his area of play, tiring him out and he started on a series of misjudged challenges which over the course of the match, won him very little points. Too often, from this set onwards, did Murray on his serve take a strong position by leading a game forty to l'oeuf or fifteen points and then make mistakes that let his adversary back in. Despite battling hard to contain his opponent, Murray's tiredness got the better of him and he lost the set with five games to Federer's seven. 


        The machinelike brilliance of Federer was only beginning to come through but in the third set, dark clouds were hanging over Wimbledon and some were thinking that maybe a rain delay would give Murray a rest and rescue any hope he had of winning. The set started like the previous one had finished, with Murray looking jaded and maybe slightly nervous, being where he was but after a game each and with Federer interrupted from claiming the third, play was stopped when the hopeful crowd got their wish, as rain started to fall on the court. 

         Play resumed some thirty minutes later under the roof but Murray's form was only slightly improved. The talk he had with coach Ivan Lendl must not have done him much good as he continued to produce the same errors as had before the break. The set stood at three games all and in one of the aforementioned passages of play where Murray fell back from a strong position, Federer fought to take a break point in a twenty minute plus game which moved from deuce ten times to eventually see him lead four games to three. 

         Murray, who fell onto the court twice during the set, never really recovered his form and Federer took the set six to three. But although the challenger to the title took the early games of the fourth set, it was all beginning to look like something of a formality as the oldest player in a Wimbledon final since Jimmy Connors in 1984, played and moved Murray around  at he pleased. The best that the tired Scot could hope for was a tie-break but it didn't even look like he had the strength to win one of those or indeed the set he was playing.

        As the match moved on, despite some fans who shouted his name to encourage him, Murray's playing never really took the crowd at large but as the final set moved to five games to four in Federer's favour, the whole court began to chant his name. A good start, winning the opening point of the last game succumbed to Federer who, in spite of Murray's last challenge, took the game to championship point and at an error from Murray, dropped to the grass in celebration. 

The win was too much for him!

        The British hopeful, played well early on in the game and forced more mistakes from his competitor than the Swiss would have a normally made in an entire tournament. Murray was perhaps somewhat unlucky, missing good opportunities to challenge but unfortunately for him, as the tiredness came into his game, the genius was coming out in Federer's. The emotional Murray could hardly contain his tears while being interviewed but commended the victor who rose up to number one in the world rankings, breaking the record for holding that spot also.


        Holding the championship trophy, Federer looked happy with all that passed, as he equalled Pete Sampras' record of seven Wimbledon titles while also extending his international record to having won seventeen Grand Slam tournaments. At thirty years of age, a few questioned about whether he could go all the way, but after a wait of two and a half years without a trophy as well as a four set nailbiter, the silver gilt prize was back with the man from Switzerland.
        
       A good match to watch, left you with the feeling that the great were getting greater and that maybe, there might soon be a British winner to this competition after so long a wait but to use the umpires final match ruling, I say that it was Game, Set or rather a Set to Andy Murray and the Match to the excellent Roger Federer.




        

Spain v Italy

- The Final - 

              Brilliance is as brilliance does and on Sunday July 1, greatness was crowned as La Roja overcame their final obstacle in the form of the Azzuri and went on to claim their third successive major trophy in almost as many years. The European Championship of 2012 was won with a style of football which was superior to all others brought to the tournament: A high intensity system of pass and move. - At least to give a brief description of it.

               In the buildup to the game, much was made of what this clash between the reigning European kings and the reborn challengers would be like and who at the end of the duel, would have the throne. The opening game of Group C, which finished as a one- all draw, had been overlooked by many at the time as just another point-providing fixture that would lift Spain into the quarter-finals but after Cesare Prandelli's masterful dispatching of the Germans, there is no doubt that every second of the game was analysed. 

              Given what has happened since, we could all say, with a sense of certainty, at the time of the group stages that Spain's group contained one team that would be present in the final but owing to the way the games presented themselves, the opening meeting of Spain and Italy was to be an indicator of its make-up. 

               The identity of the finalist apart from Spain, was until events in other groups widely deemed to be a tie between Germany and Holland but mark my words, not many predicted that the meeting of these two teams would compose the final tie. As has been discussed in the most previous post, Spain overcame a strengthening Portugal side only by the penalty shootout while Italy peaked and defeated the Germans with ease playing what looked like their final, a round too early. All of this led one to believe that the match was evenly poised before kickoff with one team having struggled to progress and the other entering on a high.

              And so once play got under way at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Spain soon established their fluent passing order and on the fourteenth minute were a goal up to thanks to Iniesta's fine effort as the ball was slipped on from him to Fabregas and through to Silva to fire the ball past Buffon and into the back corner of goal. The Spanish national anthem bellowed from their supporters. Less than ten minutes afterwards Prandelli was made to make the first of two injury forced substitutions as Balzaretti came on for Chiellini. 

             Italy woke up and began to increase their control of the ball and minutes later after a side tackle on Cassano, Gerard Pique received his sides only yellow card of the game but for a twenty minute period it looked as though Italy could equalise. Cassano took a brave opportunity to shoot on goal but the sharp Casillas saved it but again, one minute later after been given a free kick in midfield, Pirlo opted to shoot from range which went over the bar. 

              All of the Italians efforts of the second half came to nothing and in the forty first minute Jordi Alba making a run, came onto Iniesta's ball and on his own with Buffon, placed it past him to make the score two nil to Spain. Who would have thought that a team playing with six midfielders and no strikers could be so proficient at goal? Italy's task became that bit more harder and it told in their play with the Spanish dominating possession until the break. Bargazi getting the team's only card for a foul on Iniesta about a minute before half time. 

              Italy who took off Cassano, retuned after the interval reignited and the newly brought on Di Natale came into some promising positions having his greatest opportunity in the forty sixth minute saved. Less than five minutes later,  a claim of handball was denied by the referee but a deadly blow was to come for Italy. When Thiago Motta who had minutes before replaced Montolivo, went down with an injured hamstring and was stretchered off, the men in blue had to play the remainder of the game with ten men having already made the maximum number of substitutions. 

              It was all starting to look in vain for Italy now they were a man down and against the best passing team in the tournament, any presence they had simply disappeared under sustained Spanish pressure. The defence held until eighty three minutes when Torres who had come on in place of Fabregas, finished a series of passes to score his teams third goal of the night as well as his second in the same amount of European Championship finals. In the eighty seventh minute Juan Mata was brought on by Del Bosque for Iniesta and just when the Spanish fans thought their night couldn't get any better, Mata scored after being on the pitch for less than sixty seconds. ¡Viva los subsititutos! Four Nil up and setting the record of highest winning margin in a EC final, it was no surprise to say that Spain won the match.

          The match was won by the technical expertise and consistent passing of Spain as well as some bad luck on Italy's part in not scoring. Spain's tactic of tiring the opposition out through their relentless passing and scoring when they have exhausted them worked in abundance as an undermanned and deflated Italy fell apart and paid the price for mismanagement of players, denying them any opportunity of a fight back. Presumably a petulant Mario Balotelli rebuffed conciliation by Prandelli because of that but Spain's brilliance will not be forgotten as they went on to become the first team to successfully defend the title as this armada wows all. An absolute masterclass!  

Euro 2012 - A review so far

            And so the Euros have passed through all stages of the tournament bar one - The Final. The route to this match has taught us many things, most of all that you often cannot rely on statistics to predict the victorious party and the same may be said for the ultimate match itself...


            The competition began just over three weeks ago and in the time that it has been running, those who have witnessed the games have seen a spectacle that moments of greatness for the teams who entered the pitch to do themselves proud but also some unexpected results.  Before a ball was kicked in Euro 2012, there existed a number of favourites teams, two from Group B and one from C, selected by commentators on the sport, who would be present in the last four and two teams that would make up the final. Luck had her say on several occasions and events played out differently.


             This edition of the European Championships, was being styled as the one where Germany finally faced down their great nemesis of recent years and beat Spain on the way to  lifting their first trophy since 1996, at least according to some. It was also supposed to be the year in which Spain completed an unprecedented win of three consecutive major tournaments, that of Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup, culminating in their crowning as the Champions of Europe. Teams that were not given fantastic odds at progressing, not only impressed the critics but in a few cases actually outshone the favourites. 


             The likes of Greece, Denmark and Portugal all produced wins against greater opposition such as Russia and Holland and as a result of this, with the exception of the Danes, progressed at the expense of their much fancied adversaries. It was in games that involved the former bunch versus the latter, as well as a few more, that provided the various twists and turns that can make these international contests so entertaining and interesting for those who watched them. 


              With respect to the teams which experienced success in these games, there was another aspect to watching these games that made looking at the eight squads that advanced to the quarter finals, all the more heartbreaking and it was that of the Irish supporter. Prior to the commencement of activity in Group C, much was made of the ability of the Irish National Football Team to cause an upset somewhere along the way and maybe, just maybe reach the knockout stage. Sadly Irish hopes were dashed in the third minute of the opening match against Croatia and despite a short- lived comeback which saw Ireland score their only goal of their campaign, their game fell to pieces and confidence destroyed.


             Another early setback occurring in the fourth minute in a four nil defeat at the hands of Spain, as well as Italy's two goal victory over the Boys in Green left Ireland down and out of the tournament, with La Roja and the Italians securing advancement. However,  the spirit of the fans was to win acclaim from all corners, with their singing and cheering as events on the pitch provided nothing but reason for despair. Ireland's exit from the competition led to questioning over the renewal of Trappatoni's contract with the team, his tactics as well as the place of a number of players in the team whose age showed in the three games. All in all, for the team that the Irish possessed, they simply could have played a lot better.


              As has been discussed, the last eight came to be composed of the expected teams but there were also a few surprise teams that reached this stage. Germany, Spain and Italy all cleared their groups on the final night with a win. There were nerves for England, France and  Portugal amongst other teams as had results in their games and those of the teams in their groups, not gone their way, they could have been on the plane home. A two nil defeat to already eliminated Sweden meant that the English topped Group D but a fragile one goal win over the Ukraine, who scored a disallowed goal in a late comeback provided scary viewing for both sets of fans. Depending on who you were supporting, either John Terry and Michel Platini played either hero or villain that night.


              The Germans secured qualification to the next round, in first place with three wins but an unexpected triplet of defeats for Holland with the third by Portugal meant that the Dutch were going home while Cristiano Ronaldo and co. marched on. Only the Danes were left disappointed in the last round of group games. In Group A, Russia were widely expected, by myself included, to qualify after a four one trashing of the Czech Republic but a defeat to Greece meant that despite having a superior goal difference to them, it would be Dick Advocaat's team that lost out with Poland, finishing third and fourth respectively. It was the Czechs and the Hellens who were to advance to the knockout stages.


             With the spaces in the quarter finals filled, the first match to be played was between the Czech Republic and Portugal and it was to show the brilliance of senhor Ronaldo, who was finally rewarded for his efforts with a superb goal that even Czech captain Petr Cech couldn't keep out, in the seventy ninth minute. The eastern Europeans appeared unable to deal with Ronaldos quality as well as a Portuguese team who looked to be finding form at just the right time. The game was won on excellent workmanship from their squad.


              The next game between the Greeks and the Germans had political ill feeling behind it but fantastic teamwork from Germany put them a goal up from just before the break. An equaliser in the second half put the game back in Greeces reach but by the end of the match, they had let in four goals and not even Dimitris Salpingidis' converted penalty in the eighty ninth minute could have taken the game out of Germanys grasp. The game finished Four Two to the northern Europeans. 


             The French provided the formal opposition on Spains route to the final with a sloppy performance from France and some outstanding play from the Spaniards, including a masterclass and a brace from Xabi Alonso on his 100th cap. Throughout the whole game, victory for Spain was all that could be seen with Alonso scoring in the nineteenth minute after make a long run to head a corner into the net of Les Bleus. A sublime passing game from Vincente del Bosque's team meant that Spain kept most of the possession with France getting few chances to score, ultimately tiring out their neighbours from north of the Pyrenees. Laurent Blanc's side were punished for a foul in the box and Alonso stepped up to bring the final score to two nil with his second goal, Spain winning on a system of passing that was a class above every one else.


              The last game of the quarter finals looked set to provide entertainment as Roy Hodgsons England which defied expectation to progress, came up against the Italy of Cesare Prandelli to contest a place in the semi finals. A lacklustre first half that saw both sides a match for each other but unable to score was in contrast to to the second where the Italians dominated in possession but after a goalless ninety minutes as well as another thirty of extra time in which Rooney attempted a recreation of his bicycle kick against City, the match that finished scoreless was to be decided on penalties. With both Gerrard and Rooney scoring theirs but both Ashley Young and Cole missing their own, the English were eliminated, unbeaten in normal time, from the tournament losing four two on a lottery of kicks after Diamante scored his. The team that showed the courage to take the game to their opponents, won on the day.


                The Semi Finals, showed the observer that good tactics and skill with the ball can only go so far, that taking that extra step forward requires passion and determination and most of all, to be able fight for your team and not just for yourself. In the first game, Portugal and Spain locked horns as the former looked to gain revenge over the latter for being knocked out by them in the most recent World Cup. Again, like in their previous matches Portugal's captain Cristiano Ronaldo excellence shone through but it was a team effort that prevented Spain from operating their signature passing game until late into the second half. 


                When the Spanish finally managed to achieve the task of tiring the opposition through passing it was too far gone in ninety minutes so extra time was played, in which Ronaldo missed many opportunities to take the lead. The game was decided on penalties and despite the brilliance of the Portuguese captain, it was he who would be the teams weak-point when he waited to take his intended penalty last which he was unable to due to Bruno Alves' miss and eventually the Spanish won the duel. Ronaldos shot at personal glory backfiring.


                In the other semi final game, there had been one definite favourite to proceed to the final and one team that was definitely going to made a fool of but events in this game showed that the order of these would be reversed with Italy coming out trumps in a two one win over Germany in what has been called the best game of the tournament so far. The Italians were written off as most critics of the game had labelled this as the year in which the Germans came out on top over Spain in the final. However Italy came out onto the pitch with all guns blazing and thanks to two first half Mario Balotelli goals, they maintained a healthy lead over the Germans until a very dubious penalty led to the Deutsch gaining a goal but it all  proved to little too late and it was Italy who won the game over normal time to advance to the final. An outfoxing by Prandelli over Jogi Loew as well as exceptional teamwork proved victorious over a team that looked more jaded as the game moved on.


                 And so, the pairing for the ultimate game of the competition was made and it is Spain who face Italy in the final of the 2012 tournament. As luck would have it the two teams that faced each other in their first games would again meet in the last, an encounter that has only happened twice before but hopefully, it can all provide for a more interesting game of football as the magnificent look to beat the resurgent. With some luck we will have a final to remember...