:00:16. > :00:20.focused, ready from the first match. The defending champion is out. More
:00:21. > :00:25.drama on Centre Court. Roger Federer will be in the main interview room.
:00:26. > :00:36.Sharapova is out. Maria Sharapova. Novak Djokovic. Rafael Nadal. The
:00:37. > :00:37.Tory Azarenka. Serena Williams will be in the interview room
:00:38. > :00:52.immediately. As the crow flies the University of
:00:53. > :00:58.Roehampton is no more than a short trip from Wimbledon. Those without
:00:59. > :01:02.wings but handy with a racket prefer to ride a bus and it's where the
:01:03. > :01:06.next generation of tennis stars are staying during the Championships.
:01:07. > :01:10.The teenagers have qualified to play in the junior events on the greatest
:01:11. > :01:18.stage in the game, and for some it will be their first experience of
:01:19. > :01:24.competing on grass. In 1998 a 16-year-old Swiss lifted both the
:01:25. > :01:27.Boys' Singles and doubles trophies. I think when you come here as a
:01:28. > :01:36.junior you sort of rubs shoulders with the best but I remember we were
:01:37. > :01:40.tucked away under the old court to and we didn't see them or talk to
:01:41. > :01:43.them. We just came in for the matches and left again. It was an
:01:44. > :01:47.amazing experience and I had a great time and it was a dream come true
:01:48. > :01:53.for me and to play on the courts of Wimbledon as a junior I had to pinch
:01:54. > :01:58.myself, am I playing on grass? Playing on the same site as Pete
:01:59. > :02:02.Sampras who was my hero back then. I got presented the trophy on Centre
:02:03. > :02:13.Court in the Royal Box and it was just one of those incredible moments
:02:14. > :02:17.I will never forget as a junior. 15 years later and with seven Men's
:02:18. > :02:23.Singles titles to his name defending champion has been drawn in the same
:02:24. > :02:27.half as second seed Andy Murray and the same quarter as Rafael Nadal,
:02:28. > :02:32.seeded and uncharacteristic fit because he was sidelined for seven
:02:33. > :02:37.months after last year's Wimbledon. -- uncharacteristic fifth. Age 31
:02:38. > :02:40.this could be championships toughest championships to date. I'm excited
:02:41. > :02:46.to be back at Wimbledon as a defending champion. I think it is
:02:47. > :02:49.always an amazing situation to be opening on Centre Court, that's what
:02:50. > :02:53.it is about in the first place, and after that you can hopefully take it
:02:54. > :02:57.match by match. If you have been able to win your first one. Federer
:02:58. > :03:04.was in familiar surroundings opening proceedings on Centre Court. Roger
:03:05. > :03:07.Federer to serve. It required just 68 minutes for his Romanian
:03:08. > :03:15.opponent, Victor Hanescu, to be completely outclassed. Normal
:03:16. > :03:20.service was resumed. The last time Federer had played on Centre Court
:03:21. > :03:23.was the men's final at the 2012 Olympics. Britain's Andy Murray had
:03:24. > :03:28.memorably and spectacularly defeated him in straight sets then the Scot
:03:29. > :03:32.finally unravelled the vagaries of winning a grand slam title in New
:03:33. > :03:36.York five weeks later. That unravelling is a gift available to
:03:37. > :03:43.only the privileged few. I know I will be very nervous before my first
:03:44. > :03:48.match. But if I can find a way of getting myself into the latter
:03:49. > :03:52.stages of the tournament, you know, knowing how to win the big events
:03:53. > :03:59.and being able to have done it here, and at the U.S. Open, it will
:04:00. > :04:06.only give me more confidence. The second seed's first round opponent
:04:07. > :04:10.was Germany's B. Becker, Benjamin, not Boris. Murray defeated him at
:04:11. > :04:21.Queen's Club a week early and went on to win the title. Game and first
:04:22. > :04:22.set, Murray. Preparations had been termed perfect and here was first
:04:23. > :04:38.hand evidence. Game, set and match, Murray.
:04:39. > :04:39.Murray's Wimbledon campaign and that of his gigantic army of followers
:04:40. > :04:49.had begun. Another grand slam champion was in
:04:50. > :04:54.action on Court One, twice and Australian Open winner, Victoria
:04:55. > :04:57.Azarenka suffered a fall during her opening match. Somehow, the second
:04:58. > :05:08.seed progressed but rarely looked comfortable.
:05:09. > :05:12.Enter a crowd-pleasing face. Rafa Nadal had just won and eight French
:05:13. > :05:17.Open title yet the Majorcan was not content. By nature he likes to be
:05:18. > :05:24.meticulous in his preparations. I feel nervous. I feel excited,
:05:25. > :05:27.nervous, but before there is a lot of work here to play well because
:05:28. > :05:31.the surface is difficult and it is the most difficult in my opinion. To
:05:32. > :05:35.find the right feeling. I didn't have a chance to compete in a
:05:36. > :05:39.tournament before here so it's the first time I will be playing here
:05:40. > :05:44.without a tournament before. That is something that I don't like but I
:05:45. > :05:51.don't have an option. So I will try my best, and I hope things go well.
:05:52. > :05:57.His first-round opponent was the Belgian journeymen Steve Darcis.
:05:58. > :06:01.Somebody with a low profile and a ranking in triple digits. The
:06:02. > :06:08.29-year-old has spent much of his career toiling in the lower echelons
:06:09. > :06:12.of professional tennis. But the Belgian went by the nickname of the
:06:13. > :06:15.shark because of the tattooed on his shoulder. Nadal, a man of the sea,
:06:16. > :06:21.new to be wary of such a dangerous predator. A year earlier Wimbledon
:06:22. > :06:27.grass had proved too arduous for the Nadal knee as he lost arduously Li
:06:28. > :06:29.agonisingly to Lukas Rosol, now the world 135th man was repeating the
:06:30. > :07:02.torment. Lamentably Rafa was affected and the
:07:03. > :07:10.low bounce and lack of preparation proved too much for the most debated
:07:11. > :07:14.left knee in tennis. It was the first time in his career that Nadal
:07:15. > :07:20.had ever been defeated in the first round of a grand slam.
:07:21. > :07:28.I think if you play from the baseline and rest against Rafa you
:07:29. > :07:33.will be gone after two sets. The plan today was to put a lot of
:07:34. > :07:39.pressure on him from the first point on and that's what I did. I think I
:07:40. > :07:45.did great. Rafael Nadal will be in the main interview room immediately.
:07:46. > :07:48.Questions, please for Rafael Nadal. I answered this question three times
:07:49. > :07:53.or four times already, I don't want to talk about my knee this
:07:54. > :07:56.afternoon. The only thing that I can say today is to congratulate Steve
:07:57. > :08:00.Darcis, he played a fantastic match. Everything that I will say today
:08:01. > :08:02.about my knee is an excuse and I don't want to put any excuse when I
:08:03. > :08:18.lose a match like I lost today. The junior Rolls of honour display
:08:19. > :08:24.many familiar names who went on to reach the finals, or win the men's
:08:25. > :08:33.and women's singles titles at the All-England Club. The junior
:08:34. > :08:39.championship started in 1947 and this is our 66 junior event here in
:08:40. > :08:41.2013. For the overall event it is really important because it is the
:08:42. > :08:45.stepping stone for the juniors to progress into the senior game. I
:08:46. > :08:49.think it's really important for the juniors to be here, get a feel for
:08:50. > :08:52.what it is like to be around the big stars that are playing and
:08:53. > :08:55.everywhere they look here they are practising, especially in the second
:08:56. > :09:01.week getting to the sort of business end of the tournament. A year ago
:09:02. > :09:08.and America's Taylor Townsend was the world number one junior. Coming
:09:09. > :09:14.here and being able to play in the juniors is such motivation for me to
:09:15. > :09:21.come and say "OK, I want to be here one day but playing the pros. " It
:09:22. > :09:23.is a huge motivation for me. Nine times Wimbledon singles champion
:09:24. > :09:27.Martina Navratilova was on hand with advice for the teenager as she
:09:28. > :09:30.prepared for her first-round match. Just to make it a little more
:09:31. > :09:36.challenging they hit with wooden rackets. I just hit with Martina and
:09:37. > :09:40.she was helping me with my volleys and telling me to stay down and
:09:41. > :09:44.stuff like that. You think it is so simple but it makes a world of a
:09:45. > :09:53.difference and the little things she told me to do and I did it was like
:09:54. > :09:57.amazing the difference. Serena Williams is Taylor Townsend's
:09:58. > :10:01.heroin. The defending champion entered Wimbledon the hot
:10:02. > :10:05.favourite. Since the 2012 open she had won three grand slam titles and
:10:06. > :10:10.an Olympic gold medal but even such grandiose success doesn't vanish all
:10:11. > :10:18.the butterflies. I get nervous before every match. I always feel
:10:19. > :10:23.excited. I always feel this anxiety. Sometimes have to just
:10:24. > :10:26.relax and say a prayer like "Serena, just calm down." But I think it's a
:10:27. > :10:32.good thing and it is really good for me that I'm able be excited, I'm
:10:33. > :10:34.able to feel those feelings like I'm a teenager playing tennis. And
:10:35. > :10:38.that's how I feel before every match. As hot favourites went at
:10:39. > :10:52.Wimbledon Serena Williams in the She had just won her first French
:10:53. > :10:57.Open title in 11 years and her winning streak was past the 30 match
:10:58. > :11:06.Mark. Nobody, it was assumed, would be able to extinguish her flame.
:11:07. > :11:12.I have a nice saying that I always like to say that it is not the will
:11:13. > :11:24.to win that makes a winner but the will to prepare to win that makes a
:11:25. > :11:29.winner. It is a mental battle. I try to always be determined and to do my
:11:30. > :11:31.job and that is to win the match. And to have that necessary willpower
:11:32. > :11:38.that carries me to the victory. When I step on the court it is an arena
:11:39. > :11:46.for me. There was an ominous calm for Novak Djokovic. The 2011
:11:47. > :11:53.champion was fit, confident and prepared. Sure, there were things to
:11:54. > :11:55.think about, but not yet. He seemed an island of self-assurance but
:11:56. > :12:06.troubled waters lay ahead. Rarely has French Open runner-up
:12:07. > :12:10.Maria Sharapova spent so much time preparing. Rather than head home
:12:11. > :12:15.from Paris to the United States she made London her base. I did come to
:12:16. > :12:19.London quite soon after the French Open final loss. I started
:12:20. > :12:22.practising and I've had a great few weeks on the grass. It's always an
:12:23. > :12:26.adjustment, especially for the body to start so fast after the clay so
:12:27. > :12:32.it was very important that I took my time. For all players the morning
:12:33. > :12:36.has a routine elements, practice and preparation ahead of their second
:12:37. > :12:41.round matches. Whoever would follow Nadal through the exit door, a
:12:42. > :12:47.process in the media Centre is in place to ensure worldwide coverage.
:12:48. > :12:49.We deliver for the world's media and opportunity to speak to players
:12:50. > :12:53.after the match from the world number one to the lowest ranking
:12:54. > :12:57.junior entrant in the tournament. This is the main interview room and
:12:58. > :13:00.can accommodate a lot of people. We have a process for the press to
:13:01. > :13:04.request interviews and we make them happen after matches. There was
:13:05. > :13:10.nothing routine in what was soon to transpire. Victoria Azarenka will be
:13:11. > :13:15.in the main interview room immediately. The breaking news is
:13:16. > :13:22.Victoria Azarenka has pulled out with a knee injury see sustained in
:13:23. > :13:26.her opening match. -- she sustained. Steve Darcis. We just heard that
:13:27. > :13:31.Nadal's congress Steve Darcis has just also withdrawn with a shoulder
:13:32. > :13:34.injury. I don't think he is going much further. Unfortunately due to
:13:35. > :13:39.injury Jo-Wilfried Tsonga cannot continue to play. Going in one
:13:40. > :13:44.direction only and that is to the locker room. Ladies and gentlemen,
:13:45. > :13:49.unfortunately John Isner has to retire. One of the craziest days in
:13:50. > :13:54.Wimbledon's history could get even crazier. Radek Stepanek is retiring.
:13:55. > :14:00.Shvedova and Marin Cilic have also pulled out through injury. On Court
:14:01. > :14:05.Two more excessively noisy drama in sealed. Maria Sharapova was match
:14:06. > :14:15.point down to Portuguese qualifier Michelle Larcher De Brito.
:14:16. > :14:31.I just wasn't there. It's frustrating. You certainly don't
:14:32. > :14:35.want to lose matches. Whether it is early or late. As I have said this
:14:36. > :14:40.tournament is extremely special and it is definitely tough to lose but
:14:41. > :14:44.I'm going to keep my head high about it because there is no other way,
:14:45. > :14:49.and try to find the positives out of what I have today in my career and
:14:50. > :14:52.set new goals and keep moving forward. So, the two highest seeds
:14:53. > :14:55.in the bottom half of the women's draw were out. But the drama that
:14:56. > :14:59.was to follow in the men's competition left a greater dent in
:15:00. > :15:08.the bodywork of everything that had transpired in men's tennis over the
:15:09. > :15:12.previous decade. Federer faced Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky, the
:15:13. > :15:16.player ranked 160 in the world who did not rewrite the history books,
:15:17. > :15:20.he pulled out an old edition, charging at the net at every
:15:21. > :15:26.opportunity. Stokowski is not letting up. He has not let Federer
:15:27. > :15:30.breathe. Two past champions and exponents of the seemingly extinct
:15:31. > :15:42.serve and volley at liked what they saw. Wow, now this is really getting
:15:43. > :15:46.interesting. For once, Federer wasn't in charge on the court which
:15:47. > :15:56.so often has been his turf. His imperious domain.
:15:57. > :16:02.Sergiy Stakhovsky just keeps plugging away. You have got to hand
:16:03. > :16:07.it to Sergiy Stakhovsky, he is making this so competitive. Clearly
:16:08. > :16:11.for him this is a huge, huge moment. For the first time in 37 grand slam
:16:12. > :16:18.events the quarterfinal stage would take place without Roger Federer. In
:16:19. > :16:21.fact, never mind the last eight, at Wimbledon 2013 the seven time
:16:22. > :16:27.champion did not get as far as the last 32. This has got to go down as
:16:28. > :16:35.one of the all-time craziest days, without doubt, in the history of
:16:36. > :16:41.Wimbledon. Roger Federer. What you do after something like this is, you
:16:42. > :16:44.do the 24-hour rule, don't panic at this point, that's clear. I think
:16:45. > :16:48.there was a time that some players did not believe they could beat the
:16:49. > :16:52.top guys. You guys I could tap so much me playing Rafa and he is out
:16:53. > :16:57.and I am out. Maybe it was disrespectful towards the other
:16:58. > :17:00.opponents -- hyped it up. It sends a message to you guys as well that
:17:01. > :17:06.maybe you should not do that so often next time round. Ladies and
:17:07. > :17:10.gentlemen, Sergiy Stakhovsky. Where does this match rank in terms of
:17:11. > :17:17.your career today? Beating Roger today here on his court where he is
:17:18. > :17:22.a legend is, I think, having a definitely special place in my
:17:23. > :17:27.career. Shock exits, injuries and withdrawals. Wednesday 26 June 2013
:17:28. > :17:31.was a day at the Championships many sages, old and not so old, will
:17:32. > :17:37.ponder and analyse for a long time to come. I feel like there are
:17:38. > :17:40.electric currents that go through slams on certain days once in awhile
:17:41. > :17:43.and that was a very powerful current. I think the players were
:17:44. > :17:46.all feeling it, picking up on it and there were string things happening
:17:47. > :17:50.around the tournament, on the grounds, in the player 's largest on
:17:51. > :17:54.the televisions they were seeing the slips and upsets and surprises and
:17:55. > :17:57.there was a certain energy and they are a bit of a tribe in that sense
:17:58. > :18:06.and it goes deep into larger emetic roots probably. -- deep into our
:18:07. > :18:16.genetic roots. Middle Saturday. Wimbledon prides
:18:17. > :18:20.itself on being something of a sporting oasis. While the
:18:21. > :18:24.earth-shattering happened in terms of results a sense of English
:18:25. > :18:30.country garden come still remains around the All-England grounds. The
:18:31. > :18:35.boys and girls championship start on the outside courts. The French Open
:18:36. > :18:44.junior boys champion from Chile is playing the South Korean. Li is the
:18:45. > :18:47.Asian champion and this is his first match on grass. There has surely not
:18:48. > :18:49.been a more remarkable competitor because the 15-year-old has been
:18:50. > :19:16.deaf since birth. The teenager lost in three sets but
:19:17. > :19:19.the experience should stand him in good stead for the future. And
:19:20. > :19:25.meeting one of his heroes later that day was surely an inspiration. Hi,
:19:26. > :19:35.how are you, nice to meet you. How are you doing? He is deaf but. I
:19:36. > :19:42.have read about him before. It is a great honour to see you. Has he
:19:43. > :19:48.played already? He played the first game but unfortunately he lost. He
:19:49. > :19:55.has a double game tomorrow. His first time on grass? Yes, his first
:19:56. > :20:03.time on grass. It is very difficult. Shall we take a quick picture?
:20:04. > :20:13.Please, is it allowed? Sure. One more? Yes. Thank you. No problem.
:20:14. > :20:15.Have a good match in Wimbledon and we will hopefully see you later on.
:20:16. > :20:31.Thank you, goodbye. The tennis action of the first week
:20:32. > :20:35.of the Championships might have taken a break for a day but female
:20:36. > :20:40.stars throughout the history of tennis joined together to celebrate
:20:41. > :20:47.40 years of the women's tennis is in. Billie Jean King worked
:20:48. > :20:57.tirelessly with great determination to form the WTA in 1973. We had a
:20:58. > :21:01.meeting on June 20 at the Gloucester hotel. The week before another rig
:21:02. > :21:04.at 63 women in there and I had Betty stove at the back of the room and I
:21:05. > :21:11.said lock the doors, don't let any of the women out. And at the end we
:21:12. > :21:17.definitely had our association. It was a momentous occasion. We finally
:21:18. > :21:23.were going to have one voice. In 1973 King won the triple Crown at
:21:24. > :21:28.Wimbledon. I had been trying to reflect on how did I ever win
:21:29. > :21:35.Wimbledon in 73 after all the work was going on off the court. I think
:21:36. > :21:40.what happened is I was so excited on the first day of Wimbledon and felt
:21:41. > :21:44.so much happier and lighter because we had formed the WTA the week
:21:45. > :21:49.before that I think I was kind of like floating. To think about
:21:50. > :21:56.winning the triple Crown after forming this WTA it had to be my joy
:21:57. > :22:00.and happiness, and also I had great partners.
:22:01. > :22:10.The second week of the Championships. So much still to be
:22:11. > :22:15.decided. It was 23 days since Williams danced in delight with the
:22:16. > :22:21.trophy at Roland Garros. Germany's Sabine Lisicki and a semifinalist
:22:22. > :22:26.two years previously was a dangerous opponent on grass, but surely not
:22:27. > :22:27.that dangerous. Her intent was clear from the outset. Hit hard, failing
:22:28. > :22:39.that she would hit even harder. Could fate play a part? Lisicki had
:22:40. > :22:44.beaten the reigning French Open champion in three of the previous
:22:45. > :22:49.four years. It was time for the Serena game face. She snatched
:22:50. > :22:57.domination to take a 3-0 lead in the final set. Lisicki was far from
:22:58. > :23:05.finished. Williams became hesitant and Conservative in her shot
:23:06. > :23:07.selection. A player under sure in her mind and not committed to the
:23:08. > :23:15.concept of attack is a player floundering.
:23:16. > :23:26.But did Lisicki have the nerve to complete a shock that would surpass
:23:27. > :23:30.all those massive ones earlier in the tournament? Advantage, Miss
:23:31. > :24:00.Lisicki. The defending champion was out. I
:24:01. > :24:09.think it was my biggest win of my career. Serena has had a tremendous
:24:10. > :24:14.year. She has lost maybe three or four matches in the last 12 months.
:24:15. > :24:17.So to be able to come back from 2-4 down in the third set to beat her
:24:18. > :24:24.6-forward is just unbelievable feeling. Serena Williams will be in
:24:25. > :24:29.the main interview room immediately. -- 6-4. She played a super
:24:30. > :24:33.aggressive game and when you are playing and have absolutely nothing
:24:34. > :24:37.to lose its like you can really play with so much freedom and so loose.
:24:38. > :24:49.That's how she played today. What is the ethos of Wimbledon?
:24:50. > :24:54.Summary once described it as top to bottom crisp, clean, regimented
:24:55. > :24:57.perfection balanced against the possibility for the hugely
:24:58. > :24:58.unpredictable occurring. This was the Championships to ponder on such
:24:59. > :25:09.words. Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska,
:25:10. > :25:17.last year's runner-up, had become the
:25:18. > :25:17.last year's runner-up, had become An intriguing match in terms of
:25:18. > :25:28.style and powers of concentration. But after two hours and 43 minutes
:25:29. > :25:34.Radwanska triumphed in three sets. The poll's semifinal opponent would
:25:35. > :25:37.be Sabine Lisicki, on court for just over an hour against Kaia Kanepi
:25:38. > :25:50.from Estonia. Affection was growing probe the German with a big smile.
:25:51. > :25:53.-- Pole. The former junior champion Kirsten Flipkens had come through
:25:54. > :26:02.the quarter and was proving too strong for the 2011 champion Petra
:26:03. > :26:10.Kvitova. The eighth seeded Czech was suffering. The 20th seed was through
:26:11. > :26:26.filled by the 2007 runner-up Marion Bartoli, the French personification
:26:27. > :26:29.of the term unorthodox. The months beforehand had been troubled because
:26:30. > :26:37.of her split from her long-term coach, who also happened to be her
:26:38. > :26:40.father. Bartoli's many on court eccentricity is a cause for debate,
:26:41. > :26:45.but the power of her groundstrokes, particularly on the back and side
:26:46. > :26:49.cannot be doubted. She defeated the young American Sloane Stephens six -
:26:50. > :26:55.four, 7-5, to become the only women's semifinalists not to have
:26:56. > :26:59.dropped a set. I'm really low-key when I'm outside of tennis. I'm
:27:00. > :27:03.really easy and I like to laugh a lot. When I'm outside of tennis. But
:27:04. > :27:07.when it comes to tennis, whether it is inside the gym or on the court
:27:08. > :27:12.I'm totally focused and 100% on everything I'm doing. I believe this
:27:13. > :27:20.kind of intensity is also why I'm here again today in the Sunni final
:27:21. > :27:23.for a Grand Slam. Men's quarterfinals day. The top seed had
:27:24. > :27:27.not dropped a set en route to the last eight but Tomas Berdych had won
:27:28. > :27:32.their last Wimbledon meeting three years revisited with a place in the
:27:33. > :27:37.final at stake. Ultimately the check found himself clinically dismantled
:27:38. > :27:41.with Djokovic progressing to his 13th successive Grand Slam semi. --
:27:42. > :27:50.semifinal. Who would be next to suffer the Djokovic racket? The
:27:51. > :27:55.towering Juan Martin Del Potro from Argentina? Or Spain's terrierlike
:27:56. > :28:00.David Ferrer? Most certainly a catchweight contest. Four points
:28:01. > :28:07.into the encounter Del Potro crashed to the ground and there he stayed
:28:08. > :28:12.for some considerable time. The Argentine insisted he had suffered a
:28:13. > :28:16.lot of pain and was close to pulling out before being handed some magic
:28:17. > :28:23.pills by the tournament doctor. What came next could only be termed
:28:24. > :28:25.magical tennis. Del Potro pummelled Ferrer in
:28:26. > :28:29.magical tennis. Del Potro pummelled submission to reach his
:28:30. > :28:33.magical tennis. Del Potro pummelled Wimbledon semifinal. Game, set,
:28:34. > :28:38.match Del Potro. History had already been made when Lukasz Kubot and
:28:39. > :28:42.Jerzy Janowicz walked on to court. No matter who came out on top Poland
:28:43. > :28:43.would be guaranteed a male Grand Slam semifinalist for the first
:28:44. > :28:53.time. There was something decidedly
:28:54. > :28:58.frightening about the power and apparent lack of nerves shown by
:28:59. > :29:00.22-year-old Janowicz. In the end tears washed down a face so brimful
:29:01. > :29:14.of determination. Meanwhile, on Centre Court. Fernando
:29:15. > :29:21.Verdasco was proving a match for Andy Murray. The Scot was unable to
:29:22. > :29:25.break through the Spaniard's solid ground strokes and gifted his
:29:26. > :29:33.left-handed opponent the first set by double fault.
:29:34. > :29:44.There was no sign of improvement in the second. Verdasco won five
:29:45. > :29:50.straight games to lead 2-0. Verdasco, 6-3. The storm was
:29:51. > :29:53.brewing. Murray had two options. He could either succumb to his
:29:54. > :30:00.annoyance, or do the thing of champions and calmly regroup all
:30:01. > :30:02.stop he chose the second and the calm across the net was clearly
:30:03. > :30:12.unnerving for the task of who faulted with victory in sight.
:30:13. > :30:24.Five years previously Murray had fought back from trailing 2-0. Then
:30:25. > :30:27.Richard Gasquet was rendered powerless at the crucial stage. Now
:30:28. > :30:54.it was Verdasco. In the end Murray came through in
:30:55. > :30:56.five sets. But it's fair to say on this occasion the Scot had a lot of
:30:57. > :31:09.help from his friends. The Championships were guaranteed a
:31:10. > :31:13.new women's winner. But while none of the semifinalists had won a Grand
:31:14. > :31:17.Slam singles title, two were Wimbledon runners-up. Six years
:31:18. > :31:21.after losing to Venus Williams Marion Bartoli reached her second
:31:22. > :31:23.final at the All-England Club sweeping past the nerve stricken
:31:24. > :31:35.Kirsten Flipkens. If that match was a one-sided
:31:36. > :31:41.affair, the second semifinal was a dramatic encounter of wildly
:31:42. > :31:44.fluctuating fortunes. Last year's runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska and
:31:45. > :31:52.Sabine Lisicki split the first two sets. In the decider Radwanska took
:31:53. > :31:56.a 3-0 lead, but Lisicki reprieves tali on how to performance against
:31:57. > :32:04.Williams to fight back and Triumph 9-7. Whatever happened in the final
:32:05. > :32:14.the trophy would be handed to a most unexpected champion.
:32:15. > :32:21.For the last 20 months coach Ivan Lendl has been a guiding force for
:32:22. > :32:24.Andy Murray. As the Scot prepared for his fifth successive semifinal
:32:25. > :32:33.one of Ivan Lendl's rivals liked what he had seen so far. I expected
:32:34. > :32:36.him to play very well this year. In the first couple of rounds I felt
:32:37. > :32:41.Murray was the most confident and mature I had ever seen at Wimbledon
:32:42. > :32:44.and he won all his matches in straight sets until the final. But
:32:45. > :32:52.at the end of the day let's give credit to Murray who pulled one
:32:53. > :33:01.out. And what of Murray's opponent? The big hitting Pole, Jerzy
:33:02. > :33:05.Janowicz. He was almost crying afterwards in interview. It was
:33:06. > :33:08.beautiful to see how much he cares. His nerves will hopefully settle but
:33:09. > :33:15.I expect he will have a few butterflies playing Murray. With a
:33:16. > :33:20.question over his fitness could Juan Martin Del Potro pose a serious
:33:21. > :33:27.challenge to Novak Djokovic? He's one of the most dangerous players
:33:28. > :33:32.when he is confident. He is a really true shotmaker, forehands, down the
:33:33. > :33:39.line and crosscourt, nothing to lose. Hopefully his knee is holding
:33:40. > :33:44.up. The first five rounds had been nothing more than a stroll for the
:33:45. > :33:48.world number one. Djokovic is playing the best I have ever seen
:33:49. > :33:53.him on grass. He is the first one to tell the world after his matches
:33:54. > :33:57.that he is in super form. Marketing wise very, very smart from him. But
:33:58. > :34:02.his results are backing him up. He won every match in straight sets and
:34:03. > :34:05.physically not tested yet so a problem for all four players. The
:34:06. > :34:09.one with the least amount of time on the court, therefore the most
:34:10. > :34:15.dangerous. And after something really rather special, Del Potro and
:34:16. > :34:19.Djokovic fought out the longest semifinal in Wimbledon history. An
:34:20. > :34:27.encounter which banned for hours, 44 minutes, five sets, 55 games, two
:34:28. > :34:32.tie-breakers and 368 points. But all of that is just numbers. What really
:34:33. > :34:33.mattered was the level of skill, the spirit of competition and mutual
:34:34. > :34:43.respect throughout. From the outset the quality and
:34:44. > :34:47.closeness of play was superb. Finally a forehand error gave
:34:48. > :34:53.Djokovic the decisive break in the 12th game. Game and first set,
:34:54. > :34:59.Djokovic. By virtue of his injured knee Del Potro could understandably
:35:00. > :35:01.just have faded away. But with nervous hitting he saved a
:35:02. > :35:10.succession of break points and levelled the match. Game and second
:35:11. > :35:15.set Del Potro. In the heart of the third it was clear that this was no
:35:16. > :35:16.ordinary encounter. And the crowd sensed the magnitude of the
:35:17. > :35:40.occasion. Whoever won would have to recover
:35:41. > :35:43.within the space of 48 hours for one of the most important matches of
:35:44. > :35:48.their career. Neither player gave such an eventual outcome a second
:35:49. > :36:01.thought. In the tie-break Djokovic used great
:36:02. > :36:07.court coverage to take the upper hand and regain control.
:36:08. > :36:14.At the start of the fourth Djokovic was sublime and looked on course for
:36:15. > :36:36.victory. Del Potro refused to buckle, even
:36:37. > :36:45.when under the pressure of two match points in the tie-break.
:36:46. > :36:53.Somehow the Argentine's willpower forced a fifth set, as befitting
:36:54. > :37:10.such a great contest. In the decider both players have the
:37:11. > :37:23.chance to break and once more the opportunities were thwarted.
:37:24. > :37:33.Until at 4-3 Djokovic finally broke through. He served for the match.
:37:34. > :37:41.Game, set and match, Djokovic. As a classic of its kind the match was
:37:42. > :37:45.only five minutes short of the 2008 five set final between Federer and
:37:46. > :37:49.Nadal. Djokovic maintained that regardless of winning it was one of
:37:50. > :37:52.the best matches of which he had ever been part. Del Potro's in this
:37:53. > :37:59.epic encounter would not be forgotten. Early evening shadows
:38:00. > :38:04.were moving across the Centre Court by the time Andy Murray and Jerzy
:38:05. > :38:12.Janowicz appeared. More drama seemed inevitable. How would the Scot Cope
:38:13. > :38:16.with the Pole's withering served and how would the semifinal debutant
:38:17. > :38:21.handle the occasion against a proven champion? Janowicz was in no mood to
:38:22. > :38:24.be intimate aided and emphatically took the first set tie-break aided
:38:25. > :38:33.by an ill timed double faults from Murray on set point. Such things can
:38:34. > :38:37.scramble coherent minds. Murray needed to make his presence felt.
:38:38. > :38:40.There was no time to delay. In the first game of the second set he took
:38:41. > :38:43.a note from the Ivan Lendl playbook aiming a forehand straight at his
:38:44. > :38:50.opponent which seemed to have the desired effect. Polish frustration
:38:51. > :38:53.followed impatiens, breeding inconsistency. Murray was undeniably
:38:54. > :39:02.gaining control of mind and muscle as he levelled the match. Game and
:39:03. > :39:06.second set, Murray. The daylight was fading and young of it started to
:39:07. > :39:13.question the light. Nonetheless he took a 4-1 lead. -- Janowicz. Murray
:39:14. > :39:14.needed somebody to flip some kind of switch but with darkness closing in
:39:15. > :39:26.he resumed control. CHEERING The Scot had won five games in a row
:39:27. > :39:33.and momentum had clearly shifted but the clock was ticking.
:39:34. > :39:38.The referee Andrew Jarrett then took the decision to close the roof,
:39:39. > :39:41.taking the view there was insufficient daylight remaining to
:39:42. > :39:46.complete the match. Murray was not happy but the decision was final.
:39:47. > :39:52.When play resumed 30 minutes later Janowicz was the more unsettled,
:39:53. > :40:02.Murray was in control of his considerable anger.
:40:03. > :40:09.Murray cracked a forehand return to keep his and a nation's Wimbledon
:40:10. > :40:17.title hopes alive. Game, set and match, Murray.
:40:18. > :40:23.Wimbledon would have a new women's champion with Sabine Lisicki taking
:40:24. > :40:32.on Marion Bartoli in a final nobody predicted. The pair practice
:40:33. > :40:39.side-by-side as Lisicki reminisced about her childhood dreams on a clay
:40:40. > :40:43.court in Germany. That girl always loved tennis and that girl always
:40:44. > :40:48.dream of holding up the trophy at Wimbledon and showing it to the
:40:49. > :40:55.crowd. You know, it is just something I have always dream of
:40:56. > :40:58.achieving. Here I am one step away. Bartoli was five years senior and
:40:59. > :41:05.one of the most renowned fighters on the women's tour. I'm expecting a
:41:06. > :41:08.very hard battle, but trust me I will leave absolutely everything I
:41:09. > :41:12.have on the court to come up with the W and if it doesn't happen then
:41:13. > :41:17.she deserves it more than me. Bartoli also knew about taking the
:41:18. > :41:22.last big step from 2007. Taylor Townsend had progressed to the girls
:41:23. > :41:33.final and now encountered newly crowned French Open champion Belinda
:41:34. > :41:38.Bencher guv switch and. -- Bencic. The Americans started well but Swiss
:41:39. > :41:42.precision won the day. Both Martina Hingis and Roger Federer were junior
:41:43. > :41:49.champions from Switzerland who progressed to win the main title.
:41:50. > :41:55.Italy's Gianluigi Buffon was the boys single champion. Bob and Mike
:41:56. > :42:02.Bryan won the men's double to complete the slam winning all the
:42:03. > :42:11.titles simultaneously. Shea Seaway and China's who show a won the
:42:12. > :42:18.women's titles. Wristy Gradovich of France and Canada's Daniel Nestor
:42:19. > :42:21.won the mixed title. With 40 years of the WTA to celebrate legendary
:42:22. > :42:28.champions were abundant for the women's final. Could either of the
:42:29. > :42:46.two contestants ever progressed to such status?
:42:47. > :42:49.From the outset it appeared Bartoli had the steady nerve and stronger
:42:50. > :43:05.game. The first set was a one-sided affair
:43:06. > :43:12.lasting only 30 minutes with Bartoli winning six games in a row. Those
:43:13. > :43:13.fans in Ahmed with Lisicki's smile in earlier rounds will her somehow
:43:14. > :43:28.to offer some resistance. But there was no mercy from Bartoli
:43:29. > :43:29.and Lisicki sadly appeared increasingly fragile and unable to
:43:30. > :43:38.deal with the occasion. Too late to gain something of the
:43:39. > :44:01.German fight back. But there was no stopping Bartoli's
:44:02. > :44:03.March to becoming only the sixth woman in the open era to win the
:44:04. > :44:19.title without dropping a set. Game, set and match, Miss Bartoli.
:44:20. > :44:23.Six - one, 6-4. I have been pinching myself a lot of times to realise I
:44:24. > :44:29.have just won Wimbledon. It was totally unexpected. I thought I
:44:30. > :44:34.played so well today and obviously playing that level of tennis in the
:44:35. > :44:38.Wimbledon final on Centre Court is just amazing. I'm just so happy I
:44:39. > :44:44.can't stop smiling. It is just surreal. I'm sure she will get
:44:45. > :44:48.another shot. She is too good of a player not to and I have no doubt
:44:49. > :44:52.she will lift this trophy as a winner one day but I'm just so
:44:53. > :44:56.pleased that it was my day-to-day and I'm the Wimbledon.
:44:57. > :45:02.Much had happened since Murray lost last year 's final act but now he
:45:03. > :45:06.was a proven grand slam champion, wiser, better equipped and by his
:45:07. > :45:13.own admission less burdened by self-doubts. I need
:45:14. > :45:13.own admission less burdened by focused, ready from the first match.
:45:14. > :45:18.Expectations are even higher this year, they get higher every year. Is
:45:19. > :45:22.it difficult for you knowing the weight of expectation? Because of
:45:23. > :45:28.the weight of history and it is 77 years since Fred Perry won, would
:45:29. > :45:33.winning Wimbledon mean more to you than the US Open? If you could bring
:45:34. > :45:38.him back what kind of chap would you have with Fred Perry? It will be
:45:39. > :45:42.kind of emotional for me. A lot has happened since our final last year
:45:43. > :45:45.but I'm obviously looking forward to coming back and playing for the
:45:46. > :45:48.Championships. I'm sure when I step back out on the court it will be
:45:49. > :46:00.emotional return. Murray just had one request as he walked out of face
:46:01. > :46:04.destiny. That the Centre Court crowd supported him in the way they had
:46:05. > :46:09.done to Olympic gold, vociferously, patriotic plea. He couldn't simply
:46:10. > :46:13.do it alone. -- patriotically. Everyone seated around the famous
:46:14. > :46:22.stadium and on Henman Hill knew they came with an obligation to the Scot.
:46:23. > :46:32.Novak Djokovic to serve. Ready? Play.
:46:33. > :46:40.Djokovic and Murray had been opponents since they were 11 years
:46:41. > :46:44.old. They know every nuance of each other's game. Each time they play
:46:45. > :46:48.its an investigation into who can better handle the pressure and which
:46:49. > :46:52.manages the fitter. Encounters are elongated battles of attrition. As a
:46:53. > :47:14.20 stroke early rally proved. Game and first set, Murray. And just
:47:15. > :47:19.as in the US Open final between the pair it was Murray who started the
:47:20. > :47:22.stronger. But Djokovic as a resolute and determined competitor who now
:47:23. > :47:29.finds the thought of sacrificing a title at warrant -- at warrant. The
:47:30. > :47:33.Serb was determined to fight back as he did in New York and the rallies
:47:34. > :47:34.just grew in their length and intensity. Murray wouldn't have
:47:35. > :48:00.expected any less. -- was Murray up to the task or would
:48:01. > :48:05.he bottle again under pressure as he did a year previously in the final
:48:06. > :48:16.against Federer -- buckle again under pressure.
:48:17. > :48:34.He was prepared to answer the question.
:48:35. > :48:45.Game and second set, Murray. Home doubts were laid to rest in more
:48:46. > :48:54.ways than one. But as any champion will tell you the hardest set to win
:48:55. > :49:02.when claiming a title is the last. Murray broke to lead 2-0 but signs
:49:03. > :49:11.looked ominous as the Scot fell to a 4-2 deficit.
:49:12. > :49:23.But he broke back and they were level again.
:49:24. > :49:32.These are the moments when the greats find that special reserve
:49:33. > :49:37.that distinguishes them as the elite.
:49:38. > :49:50.Three championship points to Murray. So close but yet still so tense. One
:49:51. > :49:57.winner is all that is needed but did Djokovic know something? Another
:49:58. > :50:05.chance goes to waste. The agony is overwhelming. Djokovic is not just
:50:06. > :50:15.torturing Murray, he is tormenting a nation.
:50:16. > :50:21.Three chances gone, the opportunity of a fourth is precious beyond
:50:22. > :50:46.value. Game, match, Murray. No longer would
:50:47. > :50:50.it be necessary to count back how many years since Fred Perry had won
:50:51. > :50:54.the title. There is a lot of pressure and stress out there, the
:50:55. > :50:58.last game especially really took a lot out of me. It was very emotional
:50:59. > :51:08.in the last game and I can't bully by managed to beat him. -- can't
:51:09. > :51:14.believe I managed to beat him. It so nearly went the other way in the
:51:15. > :51:18.last game. I was just so concentrated and focused on each
:51:19. > :51:23.point, at the end of it I was so tired as well, I was so relieved to
:51:24. > :51:28.get it done. So many people have supported me the last few weeks. It
:51:29. > :51:32.was unbelievable that it was so loud from when we walked out onto the
:51:33. > :51:36.court. To win it this year has meant so much and to lift the Wimbledon
:51:37. > :51:46.trophy is something I will never get tired of seeing.
:51:47. > :51:51.Andy Murray had indelibly written his name into sporting history as
:51:52. > :51:55.this year's last man standing.