The Olympic Tennis Final

Chronicles with Chris

8:37- So I wake up with aspirations of seeing Federer and Murray warming up, giving me enough time to go to the deli for a pork roll egg and cheese. Wrong. I woke up to Equestrian on my TV, this didn’t go as planned. Back to sleep.

9:13- Let’s give this another shot…yes! Two times a charm. I am awake and Federer is giving Murray some overhead smashes in warm-ups. I don’t think I have enough time to get a pork roll egg and cheese though…damnit. Mom where are you??

9:15- Warm-ups are almost over and there is enormous tension brewing in Centre Court at the All England Club, the crowd is timorously awaiting the start. It’s almost as if they don’t want it start. They are torn between supporting a historic champion who is starving for a gold medal to fill the last empty space in an otherwise flawless resume, and their withering hopes in a man that has failed them so many times before. Andy Murray has never won a major, he has lost a Wimbledon final, a final in which he played one of the best matches of career and still lost in four sets. I feel awful for the man. In any other of era of tennis he would have multiple majors to his name, but he was born into an age of arguably the three greatest players of all time all playing at once. He has been on the outside looking in for his entire career. Today, the greatest player of all time, a player who has won seven titles on this very court, stands opposite of him.  God help him.

9:46- Set 1, 6^th game, Andy Murray had gotten the first break of the match. Murray seems to be taking more chances of the two, hitting more unforced errors but also hitting more winners. Both players are serving well. The crowd has been slightly aroused. They still don’t want to fully commit. The cheers after each point are escalating, but in the back of their mind they also know that they have gone through this tantalizing story before, only to see their countryman succumb to the overwhelming pressure.

9:53- Murray hits a backhand that scrapes the top of the net and elegantly drops in out of Federer’s reach. Murray waves his hand up and apologizes for the stroke of luck. I have always found that phenomenon interesting about tennis, apologizing for winning a point.

9:55- Murray gets another break. He has taken the first set. The crowd is still tentative, but emphatically giving their compatriot a standing ovation as he walks to his chair. On Henman Hill, which rests just outside of Centre court, flags are waving and the roars are erupting with greater volume. However, once again, they have done this before. Murray won the first set of the Wimbledon final, only to lose the next three.

10:03- Murray has hit another two winners that scratched the net, giving him his third break in a row and a two games to love lead in the 2^nd set. Murray is moving with reckless abandon, he is flying over the court and chasing down excellent shots from The Great One.

10:19- Murray survives six break points to go up three games to love. The crowd has deserted their commitment to cheer for both players. It’s a one sided crowd. Commentator John McEnroe comments, “Even Andy Murray isn’t accustomed to this type of support, not even at Wimbledon. And certainly Roger Federer is not accustomed to this little of support.”

10:27- Wow. Roger Federer, the great Roger Federer, has just double-faulted to give Andy Murray another break, and a four games to love lead. Andy Murray, the Scotland native, is dominating the most prolific tennis force to ever graze the grass at Wimbledon. Federer has no answer for the barrage of backhands down the line and forehand winners. He can’t get anything past Murray, who is moving and playing like a man possessed.

10:41- A stat just came on the screen: the fewest number of games Roger Federer has ever won in the first two sets of Wimbledon is eight. He just lost the first two sets to Murray, 2-6 1-6.

10:55- Murray gets another break and is up 3-2 in the third set. He has turned for home and is now alone in the homestretch, alone with an entire nation begging him, imploring him to finish. As long as he doesn’t fall off his horse, Andy Murray will be an Olympic champion. McEnroe is making his case that the Olympics should be considered a major. That may not be the actual case, but if Andy Murray were to close the deal, I think this will be better.

11:00- 4-2 Murray. The crowd has lost it. They are almost unconscious. Is this really happening?

11:08- 5-3 Murray. It’s been 73 years since a British man has won the gold medal. Henman Hill has exploded. The crowd chants “Mur-ray, clap clap clap, Mur-ray…”

11:10- It takes Federer about a minute and a half to hold his serve. 5-4 Murray. Andy Murray will be serving for the gold medal, a title he has craved and sought for so long. He gets up from his chair, and the crowd detonates once again.

11:12- Murray may never win a major, he may forever be regarded as the best player to never win a major, a title no player wants, but this title may be sweeter than any gratification a major has to offer. This may be the moment that sparks a turnaround in a truly great player’s career who was born into the wrong era of Tennis.

11:14- After four grand slam final losses, after five years of suffering under the wrath of three superior players, after two hours and three sets of dominating tennis, Andy Murray is finally a champion. Congratulations Andy, you earned and deserved it. Final Score: 6-3, 6-1, 6-4.


-Chris Collins