Raging bull gores Murray

Andy Murray's Wimbledon title hopes were smashed today by a rampant Rafael Nadal who was in stunning form as he ran out a 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 win.

Murray had no answer for the world number one's power, variety and resilience. Irrespective of this, the Scot performed admirably and it is doubtful any other player would have been able to defeat Nadal in this sort of form.

Murray started in encouraging style; his serve was imperious and he was fashioning openings on his opponent's serve.


Nadal was also playing at a very high level and neither player was able to craft a break point. In previous meetings the cross court backhand proved to be a key shot for Murray, which he used successfully in Australia and at the US Open to push Nadal out wide and create space. This time round Nadal was managing to neutralise that particular play and was instead punishing the weak Murray forehand.

Despite this, the first set seemed destined for a tiebreak when an inspired Nadal return at 30-30 in the eighth game presented a surprise break point. Murray offered up a weak second serve before pushing a forehand well wide. Nadal now found himself serving for the set and despite ferocious pressure from Murray he did so at the first time of asking.

The second set brought much of the same, except this time Nadal offered up the chance of a break - once again in the eighth game of the set. Murray was unable to convert thanks to some ferocious Spanish defending and a tragic netted backhand.

That was the only chance of the set and a tiebreak was needed to separate the players. A crashing return winner on the first point gave Murray an immediate mini-break, only for it to be handed straight back as Nadal's outrageous defence forced Murray to play one shot too many, thrashing a forehand into the net. Some sublime tennis saw the score advance to 5-5 when Nadal rather improbably double faulted to gift Murray a set point on his serve.

The Scot, and most of Britain, must have been desperately hoping for a first serve. Unfortunately it wasn't to be, and Nadal pounced on a second serve and retrieved the mini-break with an exceptional volley. A poorly executed Murray approach shot coupled with a fortuitous net cord yielded the second set point of the tiebreak, this time for Nadal. A crunching serve immediately put the Scot on the back foot and one ferocious forehand into the open court later and Nadal was two sets to love up.

Nadal had never lost a 2-0 lead in a slam, so Murray's chances looked bleak. The Scot is fond of breaking improbable statistics though. He came out swinging in the third set and immediately fashioned three break points, converting on the second. Murray's first serve had now deserted him, but he was able to keep the raging Spaniard at bay until 4-3.

An unbelievable forehand from out wide gave Nadal the first sniff at 15-30. Murray attempted to close the door with some clever positional play, forcing Nadal to hit a passing shot which the Spaniard netted. On the next point a weak second serve effectively gifted a break point. Two booming serves took Murray to deuce and than advantage, before an inexplicable dropshot (really a mini lob) allowed Nadal to claw the game back to deuce. A ripping return earned Nadal a second break point and a tentative second serve, the break.

Nadal was fired up again, sensing that the match was effectively over. A service hold later and Murray was serving to stay in the match. He was unable to do so, hitting a poorly selected drive volley well long to hand victory to Nadal.

Nadal was a deserved winner today. There was little to separate the two, except perhaps for Nadal's fearlessness on important points. On break points, Murray seemed almost scared to do anything other than wait for his opponent to make a mistake. Nadal was willing to do whatever was necessary, and in the end this made all the difference.

Murray will now prepare for the US Open hard court swing. It's difficult to not harbour fears that the Scot's window of opportunity to win a maiden Grand Slam is edging closed.