ANDY MURRAY'S Wimbledon dream is over – but his faith in winning the title remains as strong as ever.
Murray valiantly shouldered the hopes of a nation starved of success but, for now, Britain's long wait will continue.
Andy Roddick upset the form book and dismayed the home crowd with a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6 semi-final victory but there was no shame
in Murray's defeat – Roddick has rarely played better – and his time will surely come.
"I will move on quickly from this and come back stronger. If you lose one match and let it ruin your year, that is a pathetic attitude," said Murray.
"If I keep playing well, I'm going to give myself opportunities. I believe I can win a Grand Slam.
"I will come back next year and try and do better.
"You always expect your opponents to play well and he served great, especially in the tie breaks.
"I had a few chances in the first tie-break and in the third set but I didn't take them.
"I thought I played well. I hit more winners and less unforced errors but it just came down to points on his serve and he served really, really well.
"Sometimes there is not much you can do. If someone serves 130mph consistently throughout the match, it is very tough to break them."
Murray and Roddick had played eight times with the Scot holding a commanding 6-2 advantage, including wins in their last three encounters and a triumph in their only previous meeting on grass.
However, Roddick clearly hadn't read the script as he took the early advantage, winning the first set to establish a momentum he never lost.
Well-drilled by one of the canniest coaches around, Larry Stefanki, his disciplined tactics were spot on, as he mixed caution with his trademark aggression and unrelenting serve, which touched 143mph.
"I had to play my best tennis to win. I can't say enough good things about Andy Murray," said Roddick
"It's only a matter of time before he wins a Grand Slam title, he will probably win numerous ones. It's not if, but when for Andy in my opinion.
"But I can play some tennis sometimes, not many people gave me much of a chance but I knew I had a shot.
"Throughout my career I've had a lot of shortcomings but trying hard is never one of them. He had a lot of pressure on him and that probably helped me.
"The last couple of years I didn't know whether I'd play for another Grand Slam title – it's just a dream."
Murray will now have five weeks off before focusing his attention on the US Open at Flushing Meadow and the Masters 1000 events that precede it.
He was a beaten finalist against Roger Federer last year and the world No.3 has made no secret that the hard court surface in New York is where he prospers.
"I've always said the US Open is my best chance to win a Slam and I'll give it my best shot there next month," added Murray.
"I've liked the US Open ever since a junior. I love New York and the atmosphere on the court is great.
"However, I think it's been a very good Wimbledon for me. I've done better than I ever have before, I played some good tennis and dealt with everything put in front of me." However, a frustrated Murray was repeatedly left flat-footed by Roddick and received a code violation for swearing from umpire Pascal Maria – a charge that he furiously contested.
He also seemed to be in pain, holding his thigh on several occasions as the pair traded blows from the baseline.
But still Murray had his chances. He had a set point for a 2-1 lead but spurned it and Roddick almost immediately took advantage.
The fourth set was equally as close but Murray just couldn't get close to Roddick's fizzing serve and the American – who has won 26 out of 30 tie-breaks this season – closed out the match.
It was a classy performance and he even mouthed "I'm sorry" to the crowd as he departed Centre Court, exhausted from a three hour and seven minute tussle.
Five-time champion Federer now awaits in the final.
The pair have played 20 times and Roddick has won just twice – but A-Rod is a baseline slugger with more than a punchers chance, just ask Murray.
Federer has spent a career making history – now he's just one win from securing his place as the greatest of the greats.
He was just the warm-up man to the main event yesterday but tomorrow he'll be the star attraction once again.
His 7-6, 7-5, 6-3 win over Tommy Haas secured him a seventh consecutive Wimbledon final appearance – the first man to do that since 1922.
Watched by Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg – two fellow legends of the game – it's a record that will mean nothing.
Federer has just one burning ambition – winning an unprecedented 15th Grand Slam title that would edge him away from Pete Sampras and on to a plinth of his own in the pantheon of his sport.
"I'm very proud of all the records I've achieved because I never thought I would be that successful as a kid – winning Wimbledon once was a dream scenario," said Federer.
"This is a great opportunity for me to get into the history books but it's not the only reason I'm playing tennis. However, to go for something that big is quite extraordinary.
"I'm honoured to share the record with Pete Sampras and I consider him a good friend. I don't know whether he will come to watch on Sunday but it would be great to see him."
Last year Federer stood on the brink of history – a win over Rafael Nadal would have been a sixth consecutive title, scrubbing Borg from the record books.
However, he admitted the pressure got to him – but ominously for Andy Roddick, his opponent this weekend, he insists he couldn't be more relaxed 12 months on.
"For some reason that record last year meant the world to me, I was in a bubble for two weeks just dreaming about achieving it," he added. "I think this time around I'm more relaxed, maybe because I won in Paris that has taken the pressure off me."
And if Roddick wants a sleepless night, he better speak with Haas – who gave a scary assessment of what it will take to win.
"He is playing well and serving well but I wouldn't give him a chance to beat Roger," he said.
"Maybe he might win a set but nothing else – that's just my opinion."
Jamie Murray followed his younger brother onto Centre Court and 80 minutes later his Wimbledon campaign was also over.
Murray and American partner Leizel Huber were beaten in the semi-finals of the mixed doubles by Mark Knowles and Anna Lena Groenefeld, 6-2, 7-5.
It was the second consecutive year that Murray – a mixed doubles winner in 2007 with Jelena Jankovic – had fallen just one round short of the final with Huber.
But he claimed he wasn't affected by watching his brother lose to Roddick while he waited in the locker room.
"I was always going to watch the match, it's the first time that my brother has been in the semi-finals of Wimbledon," he said.
"It's so disappointing for him but he can be proud of what he has done during Wimbledon."
