Vote: can Murray win Wimbledon?
Updated on 01 July 2009
Andy Murray faces Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon men's semifinals this afternoon. Tell us if you think he can become the first British finalist for 71 years in our online poll.
Andy Murray crushed Juan Carlos Ferrero in three straight sets to keep his Wimbledon campaign on track.
He dismissed the former French Open champion in just one hour and forty three minutes, beating him 7-5 6-3 6-2.
The Scot now faces Andy Roddick in the semifinals.
Roger Federer also booked a place in the semifinal, keeping open the possibility of a Murray v Federer final on Sunday. If Murray wins the title, he would be the first British man to do so since Fred Perry in 1936.
Quarter final: Juan Carlos Ferrero, Spain
Result:
Murray def. Ferrero
7-5 6-3 6-2
Big match stats:
One of four players in the quarterfinals who were previously ranked number one in the world, Ferrero got his place at Wimbledon with a wild card.
The last wild card to make it into the final eight at Wimbledon was Goran Ivanisevic, who went on to win the championship that year.
But the man known as "Mosquito" due to his speed and wiry, strong physique, will have a tough time against the Scot.
The veteran Spaniard languished outside the top 100 a month ago, but moved up to number 70 in the world rankings after reaching the semi-finals at Queen's. He was then stopped by Murray, who went on to win the tournament.
Round four: Stanislas Wawrinka, Switzerland
Result:
Murray def. Wawrinka
2-6 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-3
Big match stats:
Next up, Swiss No.2 Stanislas Wawrinka, the man picked by Murray's management as his pre-tournament practice partner.
And Wawrinka - who won a 2008 Olympic gold medal alongside Roger Federer at doubles - fancies his chances when they meet on Centre Court tomorrow.
"If I serve well and I'm aggressive I have a chance."
The 24 year old from Lausanne has a good first serve and crunching weight behind his ground strokes but no plan B when things aren't going his way.
But, "Stan" does tend tend to rise to a big occaision. Something Murray knows all too well, having lost three times to the world number 18. Although the Scot was a runaway winner when they last met at the US Open in August.
Round three: Viktor Troicki, Serbia
Result:
Murray def. Troicki
6-2 6-3 6-4
Big match stats:
Playing in only his second Wimbledon, Troicki is an upcoming player with a good mix of game, and powerful serve and forehand.
The towering Serb will want to erase memories of their last encounter in March when Murray produced a ruthless display to despatch him 6-1 6-0 on his way to winning the Miami Masters.
Murray's verdict on that match: "I put the ball in positions where he didn't like it and each time I did that he made more and more errors. By the end of the match I felt like he didn't believe he could come back."
But, Andy should still be on his guard. Troicki has his fair share of top ten scalps, including world number 6 Andy Roddick who he beat in Washington last August.
That said, Murray has the variety and experience to neutralize the Serbian's challenge without difficulty.
Round two: Ernests Gulbis, Latvia
Result:
Murray def. Gulbis
6-2 7-5 6-3
Big match stats:
This 20-year-old muscle bound Latvian is out for revenge on our title chasing Scot.
On paper, his defeats to Murray in June and October last year would suggest that the British number one will progress unhindered into round three.
But the lanky world number 74 thinks he is playing better than ever and claims not to be intimidated by Murray playing on home ground: "It doesn't matter if someone is cheering for my opponent. No matter what, I'm going to play aggresively."
Round one: Robert Kendrick, USA
Result:
Murray def. Kendrick
7-5 6-7 6-3 6-4
Big match stats:
If there were one word to sum up the career of Robert Kendrick it would be ordinary.
Kendrick, 29, has won just one match in three appearances at Wimbledon, although that was against World number one Rafael Nadal.
The big serving American has never won a tour title but is hoping both his strength and the weight of expectation on Murray's shoulders will boost his chances: "I hope I can use that. I know there is a lot of pressure on him. I would love to disappoint the nation."
Murray won all three of their previous meetings.
