Matthew Knott - Blog

The fact that there have been no British winners of Wimbledon sine 1938 is perhaps a sign of the pressure that is heaped on the home players. Andy Murray today bowed out of Wimbledon in a match he missed too many chances in. Several times he threatened to break the server of American, Andy Roddick, but could not seal the deal.

Roddick was very, very good, but beatable, and it needn't have gone to tie breaker either time, but as we see time and time again at Wimbledon, the pressure hyped up before these semi final games must be excruciating for the players to deal with. Knowing that every interested person in the country will consider you a failure if you do not beat this man that you've beaten so many times before.

Andy Murray has shown himself to be a resilient talent, and will be back next year, and no doubt at least a quarter finalist. He is after all, only 22. Hopefully, unlike Henman before him, he will not deliver years of disappointment at tennis's biggest tournament.