Wimbledon 2012 : Serena Williams vs Agnieszka Radwanska : Andy Murray vs Roger Federer in Wimbledon Final

————————————————————–

WIMBLEDON 2012

• Venue: All England Club, London
• Date: 25 June – 8 July

————————————————————–

The American produced a Wimbledon record of 24 aces to overpower Azarenka 6-3 7-6 (8-6) and set up a meeting with Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska.

Third seed Radwanska convincingly beat Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-3 6-4 to reach her first Grand Slam final.

“She’s unbelievable. She’s playing great,” said Williams of Radwanska.

The American served beautifully throughout on Centre Court to surpass her previous Wimbledon women’s record of 23 aces, set in the third round last week, and in the process took her tally of aces at this year’s Championships to 85.

Radwanska, the first Polish woman to reach a Grand Slam final for 75 years, performed with verve and poise during her win but has not won a set against Williams in their previous two meetings, including a quarter-final defeat at Wimbledon in 2008.

more :  bbc.co.uk

————————————————————–

Roger Federer became the first man to reach eight Wimbledon singles finals, knocking out defending champion Novak Djokovic with a beguiling victory under the Centre Court roof.

The third seed progressed to his 24th Grand Slam final with a 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-3 win over tournament favourite Djokovic.

It took Federer only two hours and 19 minutes to end the Serb’s reign.

The world number three will next play Andy Murray, who became the first Briton to reach the final in 74 years.

“Obviously, I’m ecstatic, I’m so happy,” said Federer, who could now equal William Renshaw and Pete Sampras’s record of seven Wimbledon crowns.

“I played a great match. It has been a tough tournament for me. I was able to step it up and get a bit lucky maybe.

“I thought Novak played well too – the first two sets went really quickly and the third was key to the match.”

It will be Federer’s first Grand Slam final since last year’s French Open and his first at Wimbledon since he won his sixth title in 2009.

Recent history was against the world number three, as Djokovic had beaten the 16-time Grand Slam champion in four of their previous five major semi-finals.

But first blood, on the pair’s first encounter on grass, went Federer’s way when Djokovic, unsure of foot in the early exchanges, slipped at the net when attempting an acrobatic volley for break point. He then hit a tame backhand to give the Swiss the decisive break of the opening set.

Within 24 minutes the third seed had edged ahead and Djokovic looked a shadow of the man who had reached five consecutive Grand Slam finals.

more :  bbc.co.uk

————————————————————–

Andy Murray showed incredible resolve to get the better of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and become the first British man in 74 years to reach the Wimbledon final.

The 25-year-old took a step that no compatriots had managed in 11 attempts since Bunny Austin in 1938.

He overwhelmed Tsonga 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-5 in two hours 47 minutes on Centre Court and faces 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in Sunday’s showpiece.

Fred Perry was the last British man to lift a major singles title in 1936.

Perry triumphed at Wimbledon and the US Open that season, and Murray will be desperate to emulate the Englishman’s achievement.

It is his fourth Grand Slam final but the first at a venue where Federer is bidding for a record-equalling seventh crown.

While the Swiss offers formidable opposition, Murray will be confident of fulfilling the hopes of a nation after dispatching Tsonga.

credit & thanks : bbc.co.uk

————————————————————–