Missed Chances Cost Murray

He fought hard, he played his best match in a grand slam final to date, but sadly it was not meant to be as after three and half hours and four gruelling sets, Andy Murray finally succumbed to the genius that is Roger Federer.

Murray was looking to become the first Brit to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry did it in 1936, but as a result of his defeat in the final the only Brit walking away from Wimbledon this year with a trophy is mens doubles champion Jonny Marray.

Before Wimbledon started I did say (in my defence I wasn’t the only one) that Federer wouldn’t win another grand slam, as it turned I was wrong and had to eat a huge lump of humble pie, as Federer showed us all why he is the greatest of all time, however what I found most interesting was that while Murray is undoubtedly getting closer to that elusive grand slam win he’s still way off.

During the trophy presentations Federer was as ever magnanimous in victory and said that Murray would win a grand slam for sure, but given the way the match went he might have won this one, he won the first set and surprisingly it was Federer who looked nervous and edgy.

This continued into the second set, Federer carried on making uncharacteristic errors and presenting Murray with good chances to take the initiative, but he inexplicably wasted them and as you’d expect it proved costly as Federer took his chance at the first time of asking.

Admittedly the rain break and the roof closing did benefit Federer as it became an indoor match, and as his record in those conditions is unparalleled he did what champions do raise their game and make it theirs.

Murray can take solace in the fact that he has in his corner a man who understands what it’s like to lose his first four grand slam finals, I am of course talking about Ivan Lendl, who went on to reach another 15 winning eight.

I’ve no doubt Murray will get to another final but each loss makes the task of winning harder and harder, and maybe that’s what was Murray’s downfall against Federer, he saw his chance but just didn’t know how to take it.