Murraymania for Breakfast

No doubt there will people at work with radio headsets in, others looking at the BBC live text update, some may even be watching the live stream. Today is Andy Murray's third Grand Slam semi-final against the man who denied him a chance to repeat his previous final when he beat him in the 4th Round at the US Open last year.

Maran Cilic is the number 14 seed but he is coming up against the number 5 seed in form. Murray has not dropped a set and took the game to Rafael Nadal in the last round, and was leading and playing well until injury to the Spaniard robbed him of a win in normal terms, instead of the technical knock out.

Murray mania will be coming to an office near you in less than an hour.

Murray to Leave Perry

Mister Fred (why was he never dubbed by a monarch?), the last British winner of a Grand Slam, may not be sure whether to job for joy or turn in his grave. In his centenary year the new British hope Mister Andy is preparing to break away from his clothing label replacing the laurel crown for the three stripes of Adidas.

Mister Andy of course is currently trying to get a Grand Slam win wearing Mister Fred's gear, though Herr Roger and Senor Rafa may have a thing to say about that in the final and semi respectively. But having won 6-2, 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 despite and a rather lame looking second set, when the heat appeared to get to him Mister Andy is striving on with confidence; aided by the odd ice pack.

The move to Adidas is a success for both the Brit's management company 19 Entertainment and Adidas themselves. The company with the tick* have Herr Roger and Senor Rafa, Mister Andy adds to the big four tennis battle by joining Gospodin Novak, the world number 4 in the Adidas stable. Of course Eng-er-LAND both in cricket and football are already in the stable, so maybe Mister Murray's views on the auld enemy on the sports field may be tempered by a contract clause.

By the way you can follow Mister Andy's blog or Senor Rafa's blog through the links.

Nike*

British Tennis Would Rather the Rain was at Wimbledon

Well Mister Stephen certainly got the lioness's hearts pumping, and a few of the lions as well, earlier when his posted this pic of Mister Andy. It makes you think that the event may be played at Blushing Meadow.

But while Mister Nasty John is tipping the young cub from Dunblane to take over as king of the New York pride from Herr Roger, not Señor Rafa. There is a lioness cub and an other more experienced Brit lioness praying that the rain would go away and fall on SW11 rather that NYC. For both young Miss Laura* and Miss Elena** are one win away from joining Mister Andy in the main draw, but dark clouds of the literal sense are hanging over New York. Rain is forecast for today when they are supposed to be playing and again tomorrow. You can hear the Wimbledon fans roaring 'Get a roof!'

Miss Laura created a stir in New York on Wednesday when she shook paws at the end of the game a comfortable winner 7-5 6-1 over World 128 Mademoiselle Stephanie Foretz who is 332 places higher ranked. She was to play a lady who really needs a more even spread of vowels the Czech Slecna Eva Hrdinov. While Miss Elena is looking to take on the Aussie Miss Anastasia Rodionova.

It's all sounding rather Eastern European in the women's game even those that live elsewhere, and with Miss Martina junior taking to the dance floor in Sparkly Guys Prancing it really is the wrong time for New York to have a long rain storm. We remember Mister Goran against Mister Tim.

*Robson.
**Baltacha.

Friday Blog Phwoar!!!

I opened The Times this morning and saw the picture to the right by Howard Bingham and knew that a few of my readers would appreciate me sharing it.

You know who you are!

Lionel having met the fellow bloggers again last is getting all excited about doing some more blogging and indeed asked "Can I write about Mister Andrew's attempt to take Mister Roger's shiny pot off him?" with a request like that how could I refuse.

Watch Lionel's take on proceedings at the US Open Tennis coming soon.

Glorious Sunday for British Sport

It was quite a magnificent Sunday of British sport yesterday. It all started in Sepang Malaysia where Jenson Button after a poor start from pole battled up through the field from fourth and put in a couple of 'storming' laps after his nearest rivals had pitted for that first change of tires to come out well up the track.



However, when the rain came down Timo Glock made the audacious and in the end correct decision to go out on intermediate tyres while the rest of the field put on full wets and start to gain 6 seconds a lap. By the time they pulled Button in for Intermediates as well Glock was passing him as he sat in the pit lane.



Then just after all the field had changed to the Intermediates and Button had just regained P1 Glock dove back into the pits to start the move unto full wets first again to go to what was to prove to be the right tyre. When Jenson followed suit he had again to overtake the German but the race had become a power boat race by lap 32 and was red flagged. The drivers sitting on the grid in a thunderstorm waiting to see if they would restart. So it was that Jenson Button won his second Grand Prix of the season while sat on the grid under a brolly, he only needed a bowler hat instead of his helmet to make the British image complete.



Later in the day over in Miami rain wasn't going to be Andy Murray's worry. Storming to a 4-0 lead in the first set of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami against the man whose position in the rankings he is chasing down, Novak Djokovic, he eased to a 6-2 first set. And then at 1-0, a break up, in the first set he watched his opponent call for the trainer, it seemed to unsettle the Scot as he lost the next 5 games on the trot. But then found the flow of the first set to take six in succession to take the title dubbed the 'fifth grand slam' 6-2, 7-5. In doing so he equalled Tim Henman's career titles at an age when Henman only dreamed of being that good. He also now with three wins this season is the most successful champion on the mans tour as we head into the clay season.



The day was rounded up by Paul Casey over in Houston, where he didn't have a problem despite dropping his one shot led on the eighteenth and bogeying the play-off hole. It was still enough to secure him the Houston Open, his first win on the US Tour where he now plies his trade. An ideal built up to the US Masters later this month at Augusta.

RBS Cut's Back Sports Sponsorship

A few weeks ago, before the whole debacle over their bonuses, the Royal Bank of Scotland had extended their sponsorship of the RBS Six Nations to 2013. After the fall out from that today's news that they are to scale back their sponsorship substantially.

What it entails is the end of their sponsorship of the Williams Formula 1 team when the current contract expires in 2010. Also a reduction of the contribution to their sports ambassadors including Andy Murray, Zara Philips and Jack Nicholas as well as other lesser deals. The net effect is a 50% reduction of their tens of millions in sponsorship.

Dr Andrew McLaughlin, RBS group director said:

"We recognise that we are now operating in a very different economic
environment and have been reviewing all of our activities since
October.

"It is imperative that we respond to the reality of the situation we face
and that we do so in an orderly way that respects the commercial agreements we
have in place and the implications for our partners and the jobs they support."

As a sportsman in my past I well recognise the benefits that sponsorship can bring to events and individuals. But as an Economics graduate I also realise that investment in sponsorship does not have a direct impact on the money making potential of a company and when times get tough will be seen as needless luxury that is hard to justify. Therefore RBS are making a sound business decision for themselves. Those they have sponsored will have to get on the treadmill and find out if anyone(s) else will take up the slack and the hole left in their budgeting.

Although Williams will have to replace their £10m per annum deal Sir Jackie Stewart is beleived to he holding out for his £4m deal, unlike Andy Murray who is happy to renegotiate his deal.

Andy to Take on Fed

Oh what a night. The resumption of the Rafael Nadal v Andy Murray semi-final in the US Open took place on the Arthur Ashe Stadium and a different Rafa Nadal seemed to have come out when the the 3rd set continued with serve with Rafa hardly under threat on his own serve a difference from the night before. The Spanish world number 1 ended up taking that set 6-4 after returning to court 3-2 up and facing a break back point in that 10th game.

The start of the 4th set both players went to 0-30 in each of the the first 5 games. but it was the third at 1-1 that could have been a turning point as Andy had 7 break points on Nadal's serve but each time the Spaniard somehow managed to keep himself in the game, taking it on his third time of asking. Andy then started to serve up too many unforced errors losing his next service game to love with four unforced errors from the Scot. We all did start to wonder if the pervious game now spelt the end of hope for the Scot. However on the next game on his first break back point Andy was back in the match, befo9re holding his serve to take it to 4-3. The next two games went with serve leaving Rafa serving at 4-5 down to stay in the match.

Andy had a lucky netchord on the first point and thte ball dropped in with RAfa unable to do anything about it. then taking the game to deuce Andy came into the net punching away a volley to bring up his first point to take him to a slam final. Then it was Rafa's turn to employ an illtimed. illexecuted drop shot which the Scot easily got to before smashing a forehand drive past Nadal to take on Roger Federer in this evening's final.

Andy was already assured 4th place in today's rankings whatever the outcome of the match but tonight he goes for what may be his first slam. Roger will no doubt be hoping not to go the whole season without winning a Slam. But Andy has beaten Federer in the past indeed he is one of the few players to have the better of their head-to-head record over the former world number one. The way he has played and talked this fortnight Andy belives he can win this tournment. Tonight may be the last night we hark back to 1936 and Fred Perry's win in this tournament as the last British man to win a Grand Slam event.

Even Rafael broke with tradition and posted on his Time's blog after losing beacuse it was our player. Magnanimous in defeat just as he was at the end of the match.

All the Best Andy. All of Scotland and now the bulk of the UK (listening to 6-love-6 last night) are behind you.

Go Andy Go - Live Blogging on Murray v Nadal

ANDY Takes First two sets 6-2 7-6 2-3 rain delay

Ok Andy Murray and Rafa Nadal are on Louis Armstrong Stadium while Federer and Novak Djokovic are on Arthur Ashe.

The Scot breaks Rafa in the third game of the first set before holding his own serve and breaking the world number 1 again in the seventh game. Then he takes the set with a little bit of Wimbledon-esque serve volleying. As David Ferrer the only person to beat Rafa in a five set match also took the first set this is looking good for the Scotsman.

Second Set

At 1-1 in the second set Nadal is struggling when he fires a backhand out wide to Murray's forehand, but the Scot smashes back a forehand winner down the lime to make it 15-40 and two more break points for a third break for the Scot. Andy maybe getting a wee bit to excited at the possibility squanders them both but at Deuce Rafa fouls up a driven volley to give another break point. However hawkeye confirms the shot that may have caused Nadal problems early in the second set is wide. Nadal having clawed it back from the brink with the help of technology hangs on, for now, as the players return to their seats. Apparently Mr and Mrs Greg Norman (ie Chris Evert) have come over from the Arthur Ashe stadium for this one, we know the former Mrs Lloyd has a soft spot for Brits who do well in New York, she married one. Andy serves out game 4 to love, over to Rafa again.

Andy is doing a lot to make it hard for Rafa and takes it to 30-30 before Rafa puts a forehand wide for the Scots 4th break point in two games. But after Andy returns the first smash, Rafa makes sure to get this game to deuce on the second asking. However, a cross court backhand sees the Spaniard again facing breakpoint. Whoops first dodgy drop shot is swallowed up by Rafa, followed by a tame attempt at a lob. Another game of survival for Nadal, you'd think that Andy was the world number one at the moment though. Murray holds serve after a drop shot fails first point. But with two forehand winners and two aces takes it easily again to level at 3-3. A couple of error from Murray allows Nadal to ease to 30-15 having lost the first point. Then after a won point by Nadal Murray puts it into the net. Nadal has his first easy hold of the second set.

Murray comes to the net but is passed, but then scores an ace 15-15. Another ace takes the Scot to 40-15 before coming again to the net to put away a forehand volley into the open court, 4-4. Rafa puts a forehand out down the line, first point in game 9 to Andy. A cross court forehand down at Nadal's feet makes it 0-30 on Nadal's serve. But he responds with his third ace of the match, then forces Murray out wide to score an easy forehand winner. Murray goes for a big forehand winner down the line but just misses. After a great rally pummelling away Andy pulls it into deuce. But Andy puts it into the net on his forehand, then putting a service return wide. Points won so far Andy 61 Rafa 46 the winner will play Roger Federer who has just won 6-3 5-7 7-5 6-2 against Novak Djokovic.

Andy serving to stay in the set. Andy plays a drop shot which Nadal scrambles to get but a vollied lob gives Andy the start. Just wide from Rafa makes it 30-0. Nadal again errors going wide with his backhand, before another ace to round up the game to love. On Nadal's serve he is made to go left and right before ending the rally by netting. A slice backhand from Rafa forces Andy to lay the ball up on plate for Rafa to put it away. Clean service return winner cross court take it to 30-30. First serve misses, Andy crushes a return Murray break point. Nadal saves another break point at the net and does a double fist pump when Andy can't reach it. Murray again moves Nadal around and forces the Spaniard to go long from the baseline another breakpoint for the Scot his 8th in the match so far. Nadal almost puts away a clean winner but Andy reaches it but the defensive lob is easily put away by Nadal back to deuce. Murray puts it into the net advantage Nadal, but Nadal fails to take it deuce once more. A mishit forehand from Murray allows Nadal back in again, which he then takes with an ace. He's saved seven break points in this set alone, Murray has yet to face one in the entire match. Starts with his twelfth ace, but then crashes a forehand too long, then puts a forehand wide. Is Andy starting to try too hard? Then another crushing serve down the middle 30-30. Nadal puts it wide as Andy serve vollies of second serve and with another big serve takes it to a tiebreak.

First point of the tiebreak is a mini break to Murray as Nadal puts it wide. But straight away take it back as Murray set the ball up to high. Another Murray ace! 13-4 on ace count. Nadal lazily puts a drop shot into the open court Andy chases it down and puts it away down the line. But big serve and Andy puts it wide, but the Scot still has the mini break. Andy double faults, his first, going for a big second serve. First serve long but Andy comes up with another forehand winner 4-3. Nadal puts his first serve into the tram lines but a backhand from Murray goes way too long. Murray nets his next service return. 5-4 Nadal. Second serve from Andy picks up and Nadal's return trickles along the net before landing on the Spaniards side, then another big serve for set point for Andy. Rafa serving to stay in, Andy punches a twohander down the line and then Rafa pushes his shot wide. Two set to love for Andy Murray.

Third Set

While Andy may be putting some shots just long he is going all out for this. But putting it into the net makes it 15-30 on Murray's serve at the start of what may be a very important set. Going for a big backhand Andy just puts a cross court wide, Nadal's first break points of the match. Murray puts it long and Nadal takes his first break on his first breakpoint of the match. Andy starts the next game with a big winner. Then goes long on his backhand next point. Rafa is getting pumped as Murary puts it into the net. Murray stops mid-rally to challenge the line judge and gets it right as Nadal has put it wide. Nadal punishes a Murray drop shot to take the second game of this set. Andy starts with a serve volly but is easily passed, but constructs a better rally to bring it back. An ace served out wide, followed by another. Andy comes in to serve volley but Nadal doesn't even make him have to play it, 1-2.

Andy gets back into the point but instead of going downline goes back across court and misses. Nadal goes long with a forehand. But on the next serve a Murray mishit goes wide and another wide shot makes it 40-15 Nadal. A strong Murray backhand only sees Nadal put it into the net. But a great serve down the Murray back hand forces the error and wins the game for Nadal. Another double fault at the start of the next Murray service game. Nadal mishits the second serve return on the next point but is let off when Andy nets his shot. Then Nadal returns the favour. Murray scoops it up cross court in a squash type shot, Nadal runs it down but misses down the line, another Murray two aces brings up another game and Andy shows that he can recover when under pressure now. Andy 2-3 down with the break to Nadal.

The umpire has come down from his chair to check the conditions on the court has the rain from Hannah arrived? They are going to wait for this little shower to stop and then see where we go.

Andy is not happy and goes out into the centre of the court saying he doesn't think it is slippery. They are finally taking the players off the court. Depending how long this takes I may pick up my blogging later.

Gentlemen Flex Your Muscles

Oh boy these two would probably have one heck of an arm wrestling contest but tonight in the Arthur Ashe Stadium if the threatened rain halts the actual event: as tropical storm Hannah, but not her sisters, decide to peter out over Manhattan. However, it is merely the latest in the series of tennis matches between Mister Andy on the left and Senor Rafa on the right. Two of the previous five meetings have been in Grandslams. Although this is the first time either has reached the Semi-Finals in New York.

While all Brits may want to forget this summers straight set win for the Spaniard at Wimbledon lets not forget that the last time they meet in a best of five sets on hard courts in Melbourne in 2007 it went the distance and Andy was ahead 7-6 4-6 6-4 3-2 before Senor Rafa won 10 of the last 11 games against a tiring and least prepared Mister Andy.

The Spaniard has had a good run of wins including the last two Grand Slams and the Olympic Title but then so had Senor Juan Martin before he ran into the immovable Murray wall that the two lads from Dunblane have only had barely breached thus far this fortnight.

Whoever wins, whenever they get to play, will get to their first American Open Final, we'll see who wants it more amidst all the fist pumping the one who wants to complete the set or the one who wants to start.

All the best Mister Andy.

Murrays Take Manhattan: Ok not quite

Mister Andy has every right to be punching this air this fortnight. Last night he made his way to his first Gran Slam semi-final beating the Argentine Juan Martin del Potro 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-1) 4-6 7-5. Anyone who had money on the Arthur Ashe Court resembling a fight at Madison Square Gardens hopefully wasn't too put out by the sport that actually took place.

Mister Andy is only the fifth British man to have reached a Grand Slam singles semi in the open period joining Roger Taylor (not bad for a drummer), John Lloyd, Greg Rusedski and Mister clean Tim of Henmania. Of course if he beats Senor Rafa in the semi he will only be the second British man to make a final in New York this tournament, indeed only the second Murray as big bro Mister Jamie is hoping to seal his second Mixed Doubles Grand Slam title with partner Liezel Huber later today. He's beaten he former men's doubles partner Eric Eric Butorac playing with Jill Craybas 6-3 6-4 on Wednesday.