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My apologies for the cheeky headline, but it was hard not to support Andy Roddick as he took on not only a future great in Andy Murray, but an entire nation at Wimbledon on Friday. After Roger Federer had comfortably booked his ticket for Sunday's final with a clinical dissection of German Tommy Haas, all eyes (and throats) turned to the much awaited clash between the Andys - Murray and Roddick with the whole of Great Britain in the young Scots corner.

Sadly for a nation in search of a champion for 73 years, the wait would go one year longer as Roddick pulled off a marvelous 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5) win. The one fact of solace certainly is that unlike with Hen-mania, where everyone hoped that Tim can somehow pull out a miracle and win Wimbledon, all of Britain knows that Andy-monium is a much stronger movement, and the case with Murray is not one of ‘if', but ‘when'.

With Murray leading the head-to-head record between the two players 6-2, and easily the better player over the last 18 months, most of the press were already looking ahead to a dream Murray - Federer final. With most people shoving that script in Roddick's face, the 26-year old former US Open champion, drowned out the noise with one flawless service game after another. The first set reached its crescendo when Roddick put together two perfect points at 5-4, 30-30 to earn the first break of the match, and with it the opening set.

Murray came out like a house on fire in the second set as he raced to 0-40 in Roddick's opening service, and promptly took his first chance of the match to go up an early break. That was all it took, as both players served brilliantly from there-on, and in an hour and 12 minutes, the match was level at a set apiece.

The third set was the most exciting of the contest, as Roddick broke the Murray serve in the fourth game to pull ahead 3-1. As games went on serve, the lead became 5-2 before Murray barely squeezed out his service game for 3-5. With the match seemingly his for the taking, Roddick's first serve deserted him, and Murray took full toll, breaking back and holding serve again to level the set at 5-5.

Roddick regained his composure to force the set into a tiebreak. The breaker was just as tight though, with Roddick twice going up a mini-break, and Murray clawing his way back. At 4-5, Murray produced two fantastic aces to earn a set point on the Roddick serve. The American produced an outstanding volley under pressure to save it, and then produced an ace of his own to go up 7-6. Murray saved the set point, but dropped the second point on his serve, to give Roddick another setpoint, but this time on Roddick's own serve. A Murray backhand error handed Roddick the set, and with it a 2 sets to 1 lead.

The fourth set was another exhibition of serving, as neither player conceded a breakpoint and the match headed into another tiebreak. This time, it was all Roddick from the get go. The American raced to a 5-2 lead, Murray saved a matchpoint at 4-6 with a rasping backhand crosscourt pass, but Roddick was not to be denied a third chance at Wimbledon glory, as the 2004 and 2005 losing finalist booked himself a place in a 'lucky for some' third final when Murray missed dumped a running backhand pass into the net.

Earlier in the day Roger Federer continued his dominance in his backyard booking a place in the Wimbledon final for a seventh straight year. His victim today was good friend Tommy Haas, who didn't really play poorly, but just didn't have enough quality to challenge the living legend. Federer prevailed in straight sets 7-6(3), 7-5, 6-3 in a shade over 2 hours.

The first set was an amazing service lesson to all those watching. Neither player conceded a breakpoint in 6 consecutive service games and first blood would be decided by that invention of James Van Allen in 1965, the tiebreak. Tommy Haas led Federer 3-2 in career tiebreaks between the two, that record was evened out today as Roger stepped on the gas at 3-3 to setup three set points, and gleefully took the first when Haas mishit a backhand into the bottom of the net.

The second set seemed to be heading in the same direction as the first before Federer decided it was time to put some pressure on the Haas serve. The first breakpoint of the match came with Haas serving at 4-5, 30-40...and hence it was actually a set point for Federer to pull the match further beyond Haas' reach. Haas saved it with a fantastic serve, and pulled out the game somehow, but the signs were there from Federer. Haas was not quite as fortunate in his next service game, though he saved another set point at 30-40, as an outstanding angled forehand from Federer set up a third chance to take the two sets to love lead, and an error from the Haas forehand confirmed it.

Federer had conceded just 9 points on serve in 12 games - a master class from a very special player. The match was decided in the 8th game of the third set when Federer finally broke the Haas serve on his fourth breakpoint, despite Haas trying desperately to hang on. The former champion served out the match with ease, ending it with a Sampras-esque Slam Dunk smash, an exclamation point that will make the highlight reels on all television channels across the world.

For Roger apart from a 6th Wimbledon crown, Sunday is also about a spot of immortality. Should he win the final, not only will he overtake Sampras as the man with the most number of Grand Slam wins ever at 15, he will also regain the World no.1 ranking that means so much to every professional athlete - a certification that you are the best player on planet Earth!

Click here to read a preview of the final

File Photograph Copyright: Elizabeth Molineux

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