ANDY Roddick is back in the Wimbledon final for the first time in four years after defeating Andy Murray in four sets yesterday. He insisted he had to be at his best to see off the Scot, and said it was only a matter of time before Murray started winning Grand Slam titles.
"I had to play my best tennis out there to win," said the No6 seed, who will meet Roger Federer in tomorrow's final. "He (Murray] is going to break through and win one of those titles, and probably numerous ones.
"In my mind it's a matter of time.
It's not if, but when."
Roddick is still only 26, but he has been written off by commentators as a player whose best days are already behind him. His only Grand Slam win to date – the US Open title – is now six years in the past, and his only other appearances in slam finals were his losses here to Federer in 2004 and '05.
The American's display against Murray yesterday, however, must have made his detractors sit up and take notice. He certainly felt himself that he had just turned in one of the best performances of his career. "I can play some tennis," he said. "Not many people gave me a chance.
"I think overall it's certainly up there. You know, playing a player of his rank, his calibre, in kind of his atmosphere.
"He was certainly in form going into the match. I had to play my best tennis to win.
"You don't go back to a Wimbledon final by accident. It certainly is a process, and it's probably been a longer process than I would have liked. But I've enjoyed everything that has kind of gone into it."
Last year represented a nadir at Wimbledon for Roddick, as he suffered his earliest exit, losing in the second round to Janko Tipsarevic. Since then his form has steadily improved, as he showed by reaching the semi-finals at this year's Australian Open.
Indeed, rather than merely recovering his best form of years past, he showed signs yesterday of becoming an even better player than he was – or certainly a more versatile one. "I knew going in (to the Murray match] that getting all hyped up was probably not the way to go, especially in an atmosphere that wasn't going to be super favourable to me.
"He was probably going to have the edge as far as the adrenalin and the emotion, so I just wanted to stay the course. I was fully aware that there might be ups and downs. I just wanted to keep the same face regardless.
"I'm just trying to stay the course. I haven't really gotten too up or too down at any point in this event, or this year for that matter.
So I'm just going to go try to do the same thing, just on to the next point. I didn't know if I was going to get to play a final of Wimbledon again. I'm certainly thankful to have that opportunity. Personally I've grown up a lot." The underdog against Murray, Roddick will be even more of a second favourite when he faces Federer tomorrow. But he is getting better, and has faced – and conquered – more demanding challenges as the fortnight has worn on.
"I think just getting through," he said when asked what had pleased him most about his tournament so far. "If I'm being honest, before today I was just getting through matches.
"So being able to navigate your way through a major tournament kind of feeling that way . . . . I guess that's a pretty good sign."
