Almost Andy, Almost

The dust is settling for another year on the 2012 Wimbledon Championships, or really, just Wimbledon to most people. I'm not usually a tennis fan but you have to make an exception for Wimbledon as a summer tradition. For two weeks every summer the country takes falls in love with the sport, even though it rains most of the time and there hasn't been a British singles winner in many people's lifetime. But then I guess that's what Britain is about, bad weather and losing gracefully but giving 100%.

For the rest of the year, apart from Wimbledon, Britain doesn't seem so interested. I think its possibly because a lot of people feel isolated from the sport, as it is rarely on free TV, because you don't many tennis courts around, and because it does seem a little like a sport for the more priveleged who can get access to tennis courts, can afford good equipment, and can get good coaching.

When I was at secondary school the school got some concrete courts and would put the nets up during the spring and summer. Kids would eagerly borrow racquets and balls from the PE department and spend break times happily trying to have rallies with their friends, but there was little in the way of proper coaching and most people lost interest after a few days of trying to hit to each other and then having to run round and fetch the ball after missing it for the millionth time.

Still, Wimbledon is always enjoyable, and this year Brits had the added bonus of seeing Andy Murray become the first British male to get to a final since Bunny Austin in 1938, facing Roger Federer, who will surely go down as the best to ever play the sport.

After a close start where Murray took the first set, and looked to be troubling him, Federer started motoring in the sixth game of the third set, a set that lasted 20 minutes and in which Murray tried his best to hang on, but was unable to live with shots from Federer that sent him all over the court. That game was probably a turning point, and Federer went on to win with some truly masterful tennis. Credit to Murray, he took the first set well and played some good tennis, trying his utmost to give the fans their first home winner. His reputation will be enhanced by him breaking the long wait for a British finalist, and for making a good fight of it with Federer, the now seven times winner.