2013 Tennis Thread

Britain's Edmund into junior semi-finals

Britain’s Kyle Edmund reached the semi-finals of the boys’ singles at Wimbledon with a 4-6 6-1 6-3 victory over American Stefan Kozlov.
Edmund, the fifth seed at his home Grand Slam, appeared to be in big trouble as he lost the opening set and proceeded to be broken at the start of the second.
But eight games in succession from the Brit saw him roar back to seize control of the match as the 15-year-old Kozlov – three years his junior – faded under the pressure.
The American saw his serve broken at the start of the deciding set and suffered an injury after slipping a further break behind Edmund, who by this point was being roared on by a packed crowd on court three.
Edmund took the final set in 48 minutes to wrap up the match, after having taken the second in just 24 to get himself back into the contest as he sealed his progression through to the last four.
The Brit will next take on Gianluigi Quinzi of Italy - the sixth seed - in the semi-finals at SW19. The other last-four clash sees Hyeon Chung take on Germany's Maximilian Marterer.
 
Bartoli dismisses Flipkens to reach final

Marion Bartoli barely had time to go through her full repertoire of mannerisms as she thrashed Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-2 on Thursday to reach her second Wimbledon final.
The 15th seed from France sealed victory in 63 minutes, overwhelming Flipkens with some ****** hitting and will now open her box of tricks against Germany's Sabine Lisicki on Saturday as both seek a first Major title.
Bartoli, one of the most unorthodox players in the women's game, crunched double-fisted forehands and backhands for winners and fired down one second serve ace at nearly 100mph.
"I just cannot believe it, I played so well," Bartoli, beaten by Venus Williams in the 2007 final, said.
"I saw the ball like a football. I hit it cleanly from the start. To play so well in the semi-final at Wimbledon is an amazing feeling."
Flipkens knocked out former champion Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals but looked pensive throughout against Bartoli and needed treatment on her heavily-strapped right knee in the middle of the second set.
"I think she was a bit injured and she deserves a lot of credit. It must be hard to be injured in the semi-final at Wimbledon," Bartoli, who has reached the final without dropping a set, said.
The Centre Court tried desperately to lift Flipkens, although even their enthusiasm for the underdog waned as the match reached an inevitable conclusion.
Value for money it was not, although the match did at least last longer than the 19 minutes it American Alice Marble to beat German Hilde Sperling 6-0 6-0 in 1939.
Bartoli was her usual bundle of energy from the first point.
Twice she wrapped up games with aces and sprinted to her chair and when waiting to return she played practice swings with her back turned, as if standing in front of an imaginary mirror.
In between points, she was perpetual motion, jogging on the spot and bouncing around like a prize fighter. At times she stood well inside the baseline to face Flipkens' serve.
The 28-year-old denied, however, that her routines are designed to intimidate.
"When I'm on the court, I'm in my zone, in my bubble. I'm doing what I feel I need to do to be ready the best that I can," she said. "There is nothing into my attitude to make my opponent scared or annoying her or disturbing her or whatever."
"C'mon Flipper" was the cry from the members of the crowd as the first set sped away from 27-year-old Flipkens who became the fourth Belgian woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final after close friend Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin and Yanina Wickmayer.
Bartoli's play was ****** and she allowed her opponent only two points in the first three games of the second set, at which point Flipkens called for the trainer for a knee injury.
"Marion played an amazing match," Flipkens said. "But I fell in the first set. At that moment I didn't feel it, but a couple of games later I started to feel a really sharp pain."
The spectacle-wearing Flipkens made no excuses though.
"I tried my slices. She didn't have any problem with that. I tried the dropshot. She got it. I tried to come to the net and she lobbed me. I tried everything, actually."
The Belgian, who slumped to 262nd in the rankings a year ago after ***** clots were discovered in her calf, ******* her to stop playing for two months, scraped another couple of games and even allowed herself a rueful smile when a Hawkeye challenge went against her.
Former men's champion John McEnroe, commentating on the match for television, described the occasion as a "nightmare" for Flipkens but it was over quickly as Bartoli powered away a smash on her second match point.
 
Lisicki beats Radwanska to reach first Grand Slam final

Sabine Lisicki came out on top in a fluctuating three-set Centre Court epic to reach a maiden Grand Slam final as her bludgeoning ********* proved too much for the crafty Agnieszka Radwanska at Wimbledon on Thursday.
The German, who became a household name when she upset Serena Williams in the fourth round, backed up her giant-******* with a gripping test of nerve and she flashed her now familiar smile after securing a 6-4 2-6 9-7 victory.
You would not think that the 23rd seed with the walloping serve and firecracker forehands was allergic to grass as it seems the slightest whiff of the All England Club's lawns brings out her spectacular A-game.
She was too tough, both physically and mentally, for fourth seed Radwanska, outlasting the Pole in a lengthy decider and keeping her nerve to set up a Saturday showdown with 15th-seeded Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli.
"It was unbelievable, the last few games were so exciting," Lisicki said after bowing to all four sides of the arena, having delighted the masses following Bartoli's quickfire rout of Kirsten Flipkens.
"Agnieszka played so well, it was a battle and I'm so happy to have won it."
Radwanska had pedigree having reached the final last year and her thoughtful approach to the game provided a fascinating contrast with Lisicki's raw power.
The German's cannonball serve initially proved too strong for the Pole, but just as the match appeared to be heading in Lisicki's direction, the Pole used all her skills to reverse the flow.
The Lisicki serve capitulated in the second set and Radwanska worked her around the court, creating angles and ******* errors.
In the end, however, it came down to a test of will and after two hours and 18 minutes, Lisicki prevailed, becoming the first German woman to reach a Grand Slam final since Steffi Graf at Wimbledon in 1999.
It should have come as no surprise that Lisicki was a tough nut to crack because she came back from a career-threatening ankle injury in 2010 which ****** her off the tour for five months and sent her tumbling down the rankings.
The 23-year-old, who lost to Maria Sharapova in the 2011 Wimbledon semis, wrapped up the first set in 33 minutes and, brimming with confidence, broke again in the opening game of the second.
The match then turned on its head, however, as Lisicki's concentration faltered and Radwanska started to get a read on her opponent's serve.
She immediately broke back and moved 3-1 ahead and although the German kept going for her shots and was rewarded with another break in the next game, Radwanska had the momentum and took the set.
Lisicki's serve, which had been such a weapon early in the match was in disarray. She was broken for the fifth successive time at the start of the third set and trailed 3-0.
That was the position she found herself in against Williams and once again the threat of defeat brought out her best.
She swiftly rediscovered her form, fighting back to level at 3-3 and breaking again to lead 5-4.
She served for the match, but in keeping with what had gone before, she faltered and was broken.
In the pressure-cooker atmosphere of Centre Court, both players diced with danger.
Radwanska saved two break points to hold for a 7-6 lead but was unable to repeat the trick as Lisicki broke decisively in the 15th game when her opponent sent a volley long.
After ******* the first time, she kept her cool, ending a dramatic contest with a forehand winner and falling face first onto the turf.
"I've been dreaming about that since I'm a little girl," she said. "That's why I said it's the best place to play my first grand slam final. I couldn't imagine any better place.
"I just can't wait to play Saturday."
 
Order of play: Friday July 5

The order of play for day 12 at Wimbledon, as both men's semi-finals take place on Centre Court.
Wimbledon 2013 will be remembered as a tournament of shocks but unless giants Juan Martin del Potro and Jerzy Janowicz can chop Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray down to size, Sunday's men's final will be a showdown between the world's top two players.
In a sport that plays on the psychologically vulnerable and demands supreme levels of physical endurance, the consistency of Djokovic and Murray in reaching the business end of Grand Slams is nothing short of remarkable.
When Djokovic takes to Centre Court to play Argentine Del Potro, it will be his 13th successive semi-final at a Major, while Murray's match-up against Janowicz will be his fifth consecutive appearance in the last four at Wimbledon.
Should they both win, it will be the third time in the last four grand slams that they have met in the final.
Their rivalry has usurped that of Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal as the biggest draw in the sport and with the Swiss maestro and the Spanish matador having been dumped out early, two different faces will contest Friday's semis.
Del Potro, a Grand Slam winner at the U.S. Open in 2009, is hardly an unknown, but Janowicz has emerged from obscurity and will enter the world's top 20 next week.
Both players are imposing figures on court. Poland's Janowicz stands at 6'8" and Del Potro a mere two-and a-half inches shorter.
Both have booming serves and heavy duty forehands and both are distant outsiders to cause an upset - bookies have Djokovic a 1-6 favourite to beat Del Potro and Murray is 1-5 to end Janowicz's surprise run.
Del Potro will do well just to make it on court. After a nasty tumble in his third-round match, when he collided with a chair, he has played with heavy strapping around his knee.
His quarter-final against David Ferrer looked like it was going to be over after just five points when the Argentine eighth seed slipped, over-extended the wounded knee and needed a medical timeout.
The emphatic way he came out hitting, however, pummelling forehands past one of the sport's best defensive players, showed that although his movement might be restricted, he remains a major threat as long as the ball is within range.
"I'm not going to put my body at risk," he said. "The doctors tell me with this tape and taking some anti-inflammatory (medication) you can play.
"If they say something different, I will think."
He will need to be 100 per cent to have a chance against Djokovic.
The only former champion in the last four has a 8-3 winning record against Del Potro, is one of the game's very best returners and will keep him working his wounded limb from start to finish.
Some comfort for Del Potro is that he won their last meeting at the Indian Wells Masters in March as well as the bronze medal match on the Wimbledon lawns at last year's Olympics.
Murray, looking to shed the millstone of becoming the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win the Wimbledon title, faces a similar threat.
Janowicz, a qualifier last year who has rocketed up the rankings and beat compatriot Lukasz Kubot in straight sets in the last eight with the help of 30 sizzling aces.
He is Poland's first male Grand Slam semi-finalist and, at 22, is the youngest man to reach the last four at Wimbledon since Murray in 2009.
"I hope Andy will feel some kind of pressure," he said. "I'm sure he will feel some kind of pressure because Great Britain is waiting for the champion of Wimbledon."
The pair have played each other twice with U.S. Open champion Murray winning one and Janowicz the most recent encounter at the Paris Masters in November.
"It will be a very tough match," Murray said. "He has a big serve. He's a big guy with a lot of power. He also has pretty good touch. He likes to hit drop-shots and doesn't just whack every single shot as hard as he can."

Centre Court (1300 UK time)

1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) v 8-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina)

24-Jerzy Janowicz (Poland) v 2-Andy Murray (Britain)
 
Brit hope Edmund suffers semi-final heartbreak

British teen Kyle Edmund has narrowly missed out on the Wimbledon boy’s singles final after a 6-4 6-4 defeat to Gianluigi Quinzi in the last four.
Edmund, 18, embarked on an impressive run of form to reach the semi-finals but could not keep that level going against the Italian.
The only two breaks in the contest were crucial ones, and both went the way of Quinzi in game seven of each set.
Unable to capitalise on the inconsistent first serve of his opponent, Edmund failed to find any breaks of his own and went down in straight sets.
Quinzi will meet Hyeon Chung of South Korea in the boy’s final, who beat Maximilian Marterer 6-7 6-1 6-3.
Edmund remains in the boy’s doubles draw.
 
Djokovic and Del Potro break new ground with longest semi

Top seed Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin Del Potro set a record for the longest semi-final ever played at Wimbledon on Friday as the Serb favourite eventually triumphed in the fifth set after four hours 43 minutes of scintillating action.
Djokovic took the first set 7-5, lost the next 4-6 and won the third on a tie-break before eighth-seeded Argentine Del Potro saved two match points en route to claiming the fourth set tie-break.
Neither man had previously dropped a set in this year's tournament and Djokovic prevailed 6-3 in the decider.
The previous semi-final record of four hours, one minute was set in 1989 when Boris Becker beat Ivan Lendl in five sets.
The new mark is six minutes shy of the longest Wimbledon final, Rafa Nadal's four hour, 48 minute victory over Roger Federer in 2008, but remains way adrift of the tournament's longest match.
That was the 11 hour, five minute first-round epic between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut in 2010 which Isner won 70-68 in the fifth set.
 
Unlikely Bartoli v Lisicki final a clash of styles

A clash of styles featuring an unorthodox Frenchwoman and a smooth powerful German will play out when Marion Bartoli and Sabine Lisicki bid to etch their names on to the Wimbledon honours board on Saturday.
Emerging unscathed from the chaos of a women's draw that scattered the favourites and opened the door for a new champion are two players who were 1,500-1 outsiders to contest the final two weeks ago.
Yet the unpredictability of either reaching the final at the outset is where any similarity between the two ends.
Lisicki, who has a near-permanent smile stretched across her face, has a game-plan that has become conventional on the nippy lawns of the All England Club - a hammerhead serve, backed up by walloping forehands.
Bartoli, however, is one of the most unorthodox players on the tour.
A whirl of perpetual motion, she leaps from foot to foot practising air shots and has an odd repertoire of mannerisms.
She is a bundle of nervous energy that frequently explodes through her double-fisted forehands and backhands.
While 23rd seed Lisicki has captured the hearts of the home fans, Bartoli is almost surly on court, in contrast to the cheery personality she displays when the action is done and dusted.
The pair have enjoyed contrasting routes to the final.
The German has had to wield the hatchet to arrive at this point, first dethroning favourite Serena Williams in the fourth round before upsetting last year's runner-up Agnieszka Radwanska in the last four.
The Frenchwoman's route has been smoother with the 15th seed avoiding any player ranked above her.
They both prepare for battle in very different ways.
Bartoli enjoys a power *** and ***** for 20 minutes before she strode out to beat Kirsten Flipkens 6-1 6-2 in her semi-final.
Lisicki cranks up the volume on her ipod, with "Play Hard" by David Guetta her preferred choice of listening.
The match has been labelled a once in a lifetime opportunity for both to claim a Grand Slam title their respective rankings suggest should be beyond them.
That, however, would be over-estimating the strength of the women's game.
Beneath Williams, who won three of the last four slams, the WTA tour is a hotbed of inconsistency where any number of players could rise from obscurity to challenge the so-called big names.
Lisicki certainly has the tools to become a regular feature at the business end of Wimbledon and, at 23, has many years left in her.
For someone with an allergy to grass, she has a game that is perfectly suited to the surface. She has a 19-4 win-loss record at the All England Club compared with 16-15 at the other slams.
Nicknamed "Boom Boom Bina", the girl who overcame a career-threatening ankle injury in 2010 which ****** her off the tour for five months, is the first German woman to reach a Grand Slam final since the great Steffi Graf at Wimbledon in 1999.
Having picked the brains of another of Germany's former Wimbledon heroes, three-time men's champion Boris Becker, she feels her time has come.
"It's been a great journey and it hasn't finished yet," she said.
"From the start of the tournament I had great matches and good challenges which prepared me for tomorrow.
"I think I'm really ready."
Bartoli is five years Lisicki's senior and is also seeking a first major title.
She came close in 2007, again fighting her way through to the Wimbledon final, but was beaten by Venus Williams and won only five games.
She is predicting a closer encounter this time around.
"First of all it will be a battle of nerves and who is able to come up with the best game on that day," she told a news conference on Friday.
"A final of a grand slam is always a matter of details. Maybe a point here, a point there will make the difference. Maybe someone who is a bit more gutsy than the other player, someone who is having a better day than the others."
 
Inspired Murray ousts Janowicz to set up Djokovic showdown

Andy Murray will play Novak Djokovic in the final at Wimbledon after a thrilling 6-7(2) 6-4 6-4 6-3 win over Polish giant Jerzy Janowicz.
Murray lost a first-set tie-break against the 6'8" Janowicz, but the world number two from Scotland responded brilliantly, levelling at one set apiece and roaring back to win after falling 1-4 down in the third.
The British number one was clearly agitated when, moments after moving two sets to one up, the referee yielded to complaints from the 24th seed by agreeing to close the Centre Court roof, even though it was still light.
But Murray composed himself to dominate the fourth set, breaking twice and closing out the victory in two hours and 53 minutes.
US Open and Olympic champion Murray faces world number one Djokovic in a second successive Wimbledon final on Sunday. It is the Dunblane star's fourth Grand Slam final in a row, excluding the French Open, which he missed through injury.
"I'm delighted with that. It was a very tough match today," Murray said afterwards. "He's very talented, very unpredictable, put some huge serves out there.
"The first set was a tough one to lose out on as I had a few chances on his serve and missed a few shots on the tie-break.
"The third set was huge, 4-1 down, but I won five games in a row."
Murray improved as the match went on, initially very conservative in his outlook as he sized up Janowicz's ******* serve from well behind the baseline. He then spurned two set points on the Janowicz serve at 5-4, but the Pole unleashed some huge deliveries to hold on.
A tie-break seemed inevitable, with Janowicz exploiting sloppy play from Murray to claim it 7-2. In addition to serving in excess of 130mph, Janowicz was also indulging in some gamesmanship both with Murray and the crowd, pumping his fist and glaring at his opponent with every point won, occasionally even talking during play.
But as the evening progressed Murray seemed to have worked the Pole out - while he is strangely mobile and technically proficient for a man of his size, the 22-year-old struggles when shots are dropped low over the net.
The Scot is also quicker and more agile, showcasing the full extent of his physical prowess with an incredible flying pass that somehow curled around the net to drop in. That was at 1-1 in the fourth set, with Murray going on to claim what proved to be a crucial break in that game.
Janowicz was tiring, not to mention feeling the heat of a partisan crowd. Murray was able to break once more to set up a tantalising clash with his friend and foe Djokovic.
Murray is also bidding to become the first British man to win Wimbledon in the Open era, and he will have his sternest challenge of the season in the Serb, who was himself inspired in beating Juan Martin del Potro in a five-set classic earlier on Friday.
The Scot won their US Open final encounter in five sets last year, but Djokovic exacted revenge in Australia at the start of this year.
Murray, who prefers the tactical challenge of a roofless Wimbledon, will be hoping there is no rain on Sunday afternoon.
"I like to think this is an outdoor event, and having gone five games in a row it was disappointing," Murray added in reference to the controversial decision to close the roof early.
"There was about 45 minutes of light left. But I managed to regain my focus, took a shower, spoke to the guys a little bit.
"He (Janowicz) was on his phone, calling someone. He seemed very, very relaxed considering it was the semis of Wimbledon. That's the way he is. He's very loose on the court."
Indeed, while a roof closure did for him against Roger Federer in last year's final, this time Murray actually improved under the calmer conditions.
Janowicz, meanwhile, will leave London delighted at his showing. He is widely regarded as being a possible top-four player, and with a few tweaks to his ground game he could get there sooner rather than later.
 
Djokovic beats Del Potro in epic to reach final

In the end, an exhausted, sweat-soaked Djokovic could not stop himself from joining 15,000 hollering fans in giving Argentine warrior Del Potro a standing ovation after an epic display of courage and endurance.
A contest that many feared would last only a few minutes after Del Potro damaged his knee so badly that he came close to quitting two days ago, went into surreal territory as Djokovic relied on his survival instincts to reach the final with a rousing 7-5 4-6 7-6(2) 6-7(6) 6-3 win.
At four hours 43 minutes, it was the longest semi-final ever played at the All England Club and while the scoreline showed that the Serbian world number one had set up a final date with Andy Murray, for all those lucky enough to on Centre Court, there were no losers.
"It was one of my best matches I've been a part of, one of the most exciting. It was so close," the 2011 champion said after being stretched to his fifth five-hour marathon within the space of 18 months.
"I could not separate us. That was one of the best matches I've played here, it was at such a high level. I'm just privileged to be the winner of this match."
Del Potro's gutsy display won him a new legion of global fans but that was little consolation for the eighth seed as for the second time in less than a year, he suffered a heartbreak of epic proportions on Centre Court.
Eleven months after falling to Roger Federer in the Olympic semi-final, which ended 19-17 in the third set after four hours 26 minutes, Del Potro was again left deflated.
"It was unbelievable to watch but, of course, I'm sad because I lost and I was close to beating him," said the man nicknamed as the Tower of Tandil.
A man who lay on the famous green turf writhing in pain just five points into his quarter-final against David Ferrer seemed to have emerged with a bionic left knee on Friday, albeit heavily strapped.
If Djokovic had hoped to inflict more pain on Del Potro and quickly deliver the killer blow in the semi-final, he was in for a rude shock.
Instead, it was Djokovic who was left with battered knees, sore elbows and a bruised stomach as Del Potro's ****** forehand sent him diving and lunging around court - often in vain.
So monstrous was Del Potro's forehand that it often produced a murderous thud as it flew off his racket. If there was a speed *** around to measuring the velocity of his forehand, it would probably have been off the radar.
The sixth game gave a taster of what was to come as it featured a scorching 24-shot rally, five deuces, two double faults, one break point before the Argentine answered a booming cry of "Come on Del Boy" to hold on.
Djokovic finally broke in the 12th game of the first set to win it 7-5 after 55 nerve-jangling minutes.
When the Argentine called on the trainer while trailing 3-2 in the second set, alarm bells started to ring, and they got even louder in the next game as he fell 15-40 behind.
But the Serb fluffed his lines as he ****** four break points and astonishingly got broken to love in the next game as Del Potro nosed 4-3 ahead.
That allowed him to level the match and if the first two sets were not dramatic enough the crowd demanded more.
After seeing a "Mr Serious" Del Potro in the first set, and a "Mr Cool" Del Potro in the second, it was time for "Mr Funny" Del Potro to take charge in the third.
He ran on top of the side barriers and, arms flailing, threatened to fall into the lap of a bemused female fan as he took a breather following one gruelling exchange.
It was no laughing matter, though, when Djokovic, after watching three set points vanish at 6-5, romped through the tiebreak and took it 7-2 by clubbing a backhand winner.
In a battle featuring one sinew-stretching rally after another, the top seed broke in the seventh game of the fourth set but Del Potro broke straight back to extend it into a tiebreak.
At 5.04 pm local time, with the help of an astonishing reflex volley winner, Djokovic earned two match points at 6-4 in the breaker.
But Del Potro survived a heart-pumping 25-shot rally and waving his arms above his head, he shooed out Djokovic's final lob over the baseline.
When a screaming forehand winner made it 6-6, the crowd erupted and two points later they could be heard all around the southwest London when a backhand error from Djokovic made it two sets all.
A match that was supposed to be a curtain-raiser for the second semi-final between home hope Murray and Poland's Jerzy Janowicz was now a Wimbledon classic and the fans were on the edge of the seats waiting to see how the fifth act would play out.
Djokovic finally ended Del Potro's brave resistance by breaking for a 5-3 lead and was a hugely relieved man when he clinched victory with a searing backhand winner.
Among those giving the players a prolonged standing ovation was twice former champion Stefan Edberg, who holds the record of winning the longest ever Grand Slam semi-final, a five hour 26 minute duel against Michael Chang at the 1992 U.S. Open.
"I know I was pushed to the limit today," said Djokovic, who is unlikely to forget the 22 aces and 80 winners he produced during the most thrilling match of the 2013 championships.
 
Murray ready to learn from last year's Wimbledon final loss

Andy Murray insists he is better prepared than 12 months ago to end a 77-year wait for a British men's winner at Wimbledon.
Murray was beaten in straight sets by Roger Federer in last year's final and now takes on top seed Novak Djokovic on Sunday brimming with confidence.
And he insists the experience of his last final on Centre Court, when he beat Federer to win Olympic gold at London 2012, is also driving him on to make history.
"I learned a lot from last year's Wimbledon and the one thing that really stands out is I now know how I need to play to win the big matches," said Murray, who followed up on Olympic success by claiming his maiden Grand Slam title, beating Djokovic in the US Open final a few weeks later.
"I didn't come away from that (Wimbledon) final against Federer doubting myself, I didn't have any regrets.
"However, I think I'll be in a better place mentally than last year because I've been here before and now I've won a Grand Slam, so I would hope to be a lot calmer.
"Winning Wimbledon would be a huge achievement for any tennis player. Winning my first Slam, after failing a lot of times, I don't think anything will top the relief I felt after that match but winning here is the pinnacle of the sport.
"I still don't think I will have ever feelings like I had after winning the Olympics. I will never get the opportunity to do that again and I don't think I'll ever top it. But I don't think it brings less or more pressure on Sunday."
Murray and Djokovic have played 17 times with the record 11-7 in the Serbian's favour.
Sunday will be their fourth Grand Slam final meeting, with Djokovic winning at the 2011 and 2013 Australian Open and losing in a titanic five-hour five set tussle at Flushing Meadows last September.
Murray is just a week older than the world number one and he famously won their first-ever match on the junior circuit.
He also has the advantage of winning their only ever match on grass - a semi-final victory on the way to gold at London 2012.
"Novak and I have a professional friendship, we've spent a lot of time discussing various issues within tennis but it's not more than that right now," he added.
"I would hope, when we finish playing, it will be different but it's hard to play in big, big matches, with lots on the line, and still be the best of friends."
Murray was made to fight before progressing past world number 24 Jerzy Janowicz 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3, turning the match around by winning five consecutive third set games to finally break his Polish rival's stubborn resolve.
Janowicz had advanced through the tournament dropping just four service games but Murray played him at his own game. The Scot boomed down 20 aces to his rival's nine, he made just one double fault, in comparison to the Pole's 11.
"I'm disappointed, I didn't play my best tennis and that is such a shame," said Janowicz, who was appearing in only the fifth Grand Slam tournament of what looks a promising career.
"I was struggling with my serve and just collapsed when I was 4-1 up in the third set. Deep down I should be happy, it's my first Grand Slam semi-final and tomorrow I'm sure I will be okay.
"I don't feel like losing against the runner-up, so I wish Andy good luck in the final."
Murray had expressed annoyance when the players were called off the court at the end of the third set due to fading light.
He had just taken a 2-1 lead after winning five straight games and thought there was enough light to complete the match. Despite this, he went on to win the fourth set under the roof in just 35 minutes.
"I don't know what the ruling is but I feel Wimbledon is an outdoor event and you should play outdoors until it is not possible to do that anymore but it worked out okay in the end," he added.
"I had all the momentum, it was still very light. It was only 8.40pm, so there was still 45 minutes to an hour of light available.
"Once I got back on the court, I wasn't angry. It was frustrating at that moment but I still had a job to do and thankfully I did it."
 
Beaten Janowicz still focused on cracking top 10

Jerzy Janowicz was beaten but not bowed after losing to second seed Andy Murray in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
The Polish 24th seed stunned Murray by taking the opening set in a tiebreak but the Briton found a way to handle his monstrous serve and sealed a 6-7(2) 6-4 6-4 6-3 win.
Janowicz was disappointed after losing his first Grand Slam semi-final but remained focused on becoming one of the big guns in the sport.
"I'm just hoping one day I'll become top 10 in the world," said Janowicz, who is projected to climb to a career-high 17th in the world next week.
Janowicz became the first Polish man to reach a Grand Slam semi-final after beating his compatriot Lukasz Kubot in the last eight and he showed against Murray he is much more than just a big-server.
He moved Murray around the court skilfully and played a series of subtle drop shots, though Janowicz was not happy with his performance.
"I'm a little bit disappointed," Janowicz said. "Today I didn't play my best tennis. I think this was second worst match during this tournament. I was struggling a little bit with my serve."
Janowicz was seen talking animatedly to the umpire during the second and third sets, clearly concerned about the timing of the closure of the Centre Court roof to enable the match to be completed under floodlights.
The decision was made after Murray had won five games in a row to take the third set and the Briton was clearly annoyed but Janowicz played down the controversy.
"I don't care," he said. "What I can do? I care about myself. I don't care if he was angry or not."
The 22-year-old Janowicz was able to take positives from the match.
"I'm still deep down really happy," he said. "This was my first semi-final in a Grand Slam, so tomorrow I'm going to be okay."
 
Order of play: Saturday July 6

The order of play for day 13 at Wimbledon, with Sabine Lisicki facing Marion Bartoli in the women's final.

CENTRE COURT (1400 BST)

Women's singles final

23-Sabine Lisicki (Germany) v 15-Marion Bartoli (France)

Men's doubles final

1-Bob Bryan (U.S.)/Mike Bryan (U.S.) v 12-Ivan Dodig (Croatia)/Marcelo Melo (Brazil)

Women's doubles final

8-Su-Wei Hsieh (Taiwan)/Shuai Peng (China) v 12-Ashleigh Barty (Australia)/Casey Dellacqua (Australia)
 
I can't remember a Wimbledon women's final that has bothered me less than Lisicki vs. Bartoli. They're both nice girls. But "nice" is very close to boring. I'll be rooting for Marion. But then again, I don't care that much.

Last lass standing was Aga. Alas ... :*****:
 
Well done, cherie! :thumbsup:

Too bad my scanner died. I have quite a few pictures of Marion in store when she was 17 - skinny as a twig and cute as a button - with a hairy dude hugging her like there's no tomorrow ( -> me... :o)

championesse! :bowdown:

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That was gut-wrenching watching Bine break down half way through the match. I thought I didn't care, but turns out I did. Got a bit tiresome listening to (I think) Davenport talking about her being near to tears, Stevie Wonder could see she was ******. Spirited fightback but damage was obviously done, and I thought I'd managed to return to not caring, but Sabine's runner-up chat with Sue just tore me asunder.

I shouldn't watch real sport, ever. I should stick to gay muscle ballet or overpaid wankers kicking a round thing around.
 
MrSStiffy said:
Bine break down half way through the match.
Click to expand...

She's adorable, yet not the brightest bulb in the box. I don't understand why Marion has gotten that much flak from the British media.
 
rivasky said:
She's adorable, yet not the brightest bulb in the box. I don't understand why Marion has gotten that much flak from the British media.
Click to expand...

What flak? They've said they felt sorry for Lisicki, but I don't think anybody's unnecessarily pissed on Bartoli's bonfire. Unless something was said on commentary, which I was largely ignoring, all the write-ups have praised her "dominant" and "impressive performance."

Well, the BBC have described her as "unconventional" - fuck knows what that's supposed to mean
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It's The Scum, say no more. That rag's near enough a comic. They describe Lisicki as a "drama queen" in the same piece. It's a paper for people that pay 20p for the news. Expecting The Sun to do justice to tennis - womens tennis especially - is like citing assari as a source for Finnish opinion on the deepest political issues.
 
^^ I was just digging deep to antagonize the Lisicki hype. You should read the German papers ... or rather not...

No matter what, I have the deepest respect for Marion. She has always been the pariah on the WTA tour. She and her papa Walter are the epitome of a perfect tennis ********-***** relationship. Unlike the usual **** business (Sharapova, Dokic, Pierce ... or even worse: Linetskaya), Marion always was the boss, patronizing her ******.
 
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