Federer Defeats Murray for Wimbledon Championship

About a week ago Federer was playing Xavier Malisse and he was down two sets, and his back was causing him difficulty in moving. Everyone thought he was finished. I thought he still would come through and win that match and win Wimbledon. I was right, but truly it was based on a hunch. In fact I took these notes:

Roger 2 sets down, back issues, no way he is winning Wimbledon but yet I think he will

Here are 3 reasons why I think Fed will win Wimbledon:

1. First-strike ability
2. Coming to the net, all court game
3. He is driven win #7

Anyway, doesn't matter I didn't post it prior to Federer going down in history tied for the most Wimbledon singles titles. The more important story here is that when things were looking bleak for Roger he pulled a huge comeback against Malisse. How?



Federer had a full display of confident ball striking. He was crushing his forehand and backhand. His serve was awesome, especially with the roof closed. Federer was extremely mentally tough throughout Wimbledon despite the mounting pressure that this might be his last best chance.

What happened in the semis and finals was vintage Federer. He elevated his game when he needed it the most. He was aggressive and attacked Djokovic. His wide serve on the deuce side caused real problems for Nole. Against Murray it looked he had meet his match. Murray was pushing Roger around at the end of the first set. But, Federer was able to regain control with "first-strike" tennis putting Murray on the defensive and allowing Roger to use his forehand to angle Murray off the court.

Federer showed to us what we thought he had lost. The true belief, the total trust, the 100% confidence that has evaded him against Nadal and Djokovic in previous Grand Slam encounters. Not Wimbledon 2012. Federer played with a conviction to be aggressive that was impressive. He hit out on the ball like it was 2006. Roger took us down memory lane to the not-so-distant past when no one could out-rally him from the baseline. Total belief and conviction in his game allowed Federer to win a record seventh Wimbledon title.

Poor Andy Murray on the other hand. Murray played very well and did not lose this match, Fed won it. Andy has everything to be proud of from this Wimbledon final. He played aggressively. He stayed positive even as Federer grabbed the momentum late in the second set.

I think the problem for Murray is that it is more natural for him to play defense and move the ball around versus the "first-strike" tennis Federer is capable of playing. Murray sustained his aggressive approach in to the second set but I think he found it hard to continue this approach when Federer mounted the charge. I think the delay to close the roof hurt his momentum, plus Roger is still the best indoor player in the world.

The question I am sure many are asking is "Will Andy Murray ever win a Slam?" I think based on this performance I would say he can. On Sunday Murray ran in to a great champion on top of his game. But, the focus, positiveness, and aggression Murray showed during the Final will help him win his first Slam. And, who knows, maybe he wins Gold in a couple of weeks.