As it happened: Andy Murray v Roger Federer

We’re following the BBC coverage, as it’s the only one. We’ve had a short montage of Scottish sporting greatness, the First Minister is in the crowd - Alex Salmond, not Ferguson as Sue Barker suggested - and in a few minutes we’ll be off and running. If you’re the praying type, now’s your chance.

• Handsome chap Enric Molina of Spain is the umpire - hope that compliment gains some favour for the Scot. For those interested in that sort of thing, Roger is hot favourite with the bookies at 4-9. Time to start...

• Roger serves first and Andy wins the first point. His returns looks to be inch perfect already. Roger takes the next two points but Andy punishes a second serve. First Hawkeye challenge by Roger goes awry and it’’s break point then would you believe it, an easy volley by Roger goes long - first game, first break, to Andy.

• Andy had to start well, was the pre-match thinking. and you can’t do much better than break your opponent’s serve. A couple of wobbly ones on his own serve, but another couple of errors by Roger sees Andy 2-0 up.

Smart asses in the crowd calling out their one liners - don’t they know that’s what blogs are for?

• Ominously for Roger, Andy looks into his rhythm already. Roger hits his first ace, but then makes another two unforced errors as Andy closes to deuce. Roger serves out the game and it’s 2-1 Andy.

This unforced error stuff - isn’t the fact that Andy is playing some smashing shots forcing Roger to make mistakes?

• Roger takes the first point but Andy shows real grit to force his opponent to the back of the court, reeling off three points before an ambitious backhand pass is sliced into the tramlines. It’s Andy’s turn to make unforced errors and the score goes to deuce before Andy’s first ace sets up game point. He goes to Hawkeye on a cross court shot that is only millimetres out. Roger’s first really deep backhand sets up his first break point and when Andy returns into the net it’s a break for the Swiss.

• For those of you interested in that sort of thing, Mark Webber has just won the Britsh Grand Prix.

• Andy goes to 0-30 ahead before another Haywkeye challenge is called out, then Roger collects off a net cord to draw level. Andy forces two deuces before Roger closes him out. 3-2 Federer, but he knows he is in a match and will have to work very hard to get his seventh Wimbeldon title.

• Andy’s first serve is a powerful weapon, but his second serve is holding up reasonably well. It’s the class of Roger’s backhand - supposedly his weaker side - which tells as he gets back from 15-40 to deuce. Murray finishes off the game in routine fashion - as if anything in a Wimbledon final is routine - and it’s 3-3.

• Suddenly the Federer serve clicks into gear and he races through the seventh game, holding to 15.

The players take a break under umbrellas - shouldn’t that be parasols? - and at 4-3 and having battled back from a first game loss on his serve, you have to think it’s advantage Roger.

The new balls come on and Roger smashes one down and into the cheap seats. At 0-30, Andy might have wobbled, but a brilliant forehand winner evens things up. At deuce, another forehand gives him advantage which Roger saves with a stunning low backhand volley at the net. Murray goes long on a backhand after a lengthy rally to give Roger a break point but the Scot saves it, and a second, before he fails to take a game point of his own. Another Hawkeye challenge goes astray before Murray finally wins the longest game of the match to date. Andy has no challenges remaining. 4-4

• Hey Beeb, we can live without seeing pictures of David Cameron and Boris Johnson in the crowd, though the sight of London’s Mayor gives Herr Becker the chance of a quick quip - “beautiful name”.

• A shot struck straight at Roger - a perfectly legitimate tactic - puts Andy ahead and suddenly he has two break points. Yet another error by Roger makes it a second break of serve for Andy.

Now he serves for the first set at 5-4.

His tactics have been good. He has targetted the Federer backhand, but he has also coped well with Roger’s forehand which frankly is not working with Swiss watch regularity.

• A spot on Hawkeye challenge from Roger forces a replay of the point which Andy and his fans thought had taken him to 30-0. Instead it’s 15-15, In bygone days, that might have had the Murray lip petting, but this new mature man bangs in three smashing serves including an ace to take the game and win the first set 6-4.

That’s Andy’s first set in a Slam final - surely it’s his time now. And the stats show that his first services are running at only 58% - that will improve as the match goes on.

Major problem could be those ominous dark clouds over London...

• He is not the greatest player of all time for nothing. Roger comes out and wins his service game easily.

That first set took 57 minutes, by the way.

• The man from Basel looks as fired up as he has ever done, which isn’t much as he is the king of cool, but Andy is equally pumped up and gets back to 30-30. At deuce, Roger hits too long to yield game point but then Andy nets after a long rally. Andy finally closes out the game for 1-1 in the second set.

• Great to see both men contesting every point as you would expect in any final featuring two such gritty competitors. Roger holds to 30, and already thoughts are turning to how long this match might last - five sets?

Roger is 30 now, and surely he will not have the stamina of the younger man. But the graveyards are full of the reputations of those who have written off Roger Federer in the past.

• Anything you can do...Andy holds his service game to 15, as if to prove a point, and it’s now 2-2 with Andy a set ahead.

• Some terrific tennis being played now by both men. There’s plenty strength but lots of great touch play, with Andy putting away a fine forehand volley to earn two break points. Roger saves the first with an overhead smash and Andy is too wide on the second. Amazing stuff on the seventh point, Roger eventually smashing a winner after three huge lobs from Andy. It’s gripping stuff now, and Roger duly clinches the game for a 3-2 lead in the second.

• Murray holds to love in the shortest game of the match so far. Contrast that with the pressure he is putting on Roger’s serve. 3-3

• Aaargh - commentator’s curse strikes ‘oor Andy’, as Roger promptly holds to love, too. 4-3 in Roger’s favour

Ah, the sound of female swooning all over the country as Roger changes shirt, displaying a manly hirsute chest.

• Roger hits an easy one into the net and suddenly looks a bit miffed with himself. He is also hitting too many shots that enable Andy to get pressure on the Federer backhand. Andy holds to 15 and suddenly its 4-4 in the second and we’re at the same scoreline where Andy upped his game to win the first set.

• Three bad errors by Roger and at 30-40 it’s break point for Andy. Adrenaline makes him go long, but at deuce he plays a magnificent point ending with a volley for another break point. Roger’s overhead smash saves the second break point and he closes out the game. 5-4 Roger, but boy he did wobble in that game.

• It’s not quite a classic yet, but it’s developing that way. Plenty of long physical rallies - will that favour the younger stronger man or the wily old fox who knows how to conserve energy?

• Murray’s first serve is getting better. An ace makes it 40-0 and Murray holds in almost facile fashion. 5-5

• Even Boris Becker is moved to comment on the irritation displayed by Roger.

But nice touches of sportsmanship as both acknowledge lucky breaks, Andy getting a point off a net cord to bring up deuce. Roger closes out the game and we are nearing a tie-break at 6-5 Roger.

• But, oh dear, the rain clouds are really gathering over Wimbledon.

• I think if any wants to beat federer he has to serve aces. I’m surprised tennis players do not do that more.

• A backhand volley just scrapes over the net to bring up 30-0, and then a superb piece of touch play by Roger makes it 30-15. A Murray forehand goes long to make it 30-30, and a lob too far makes it set point for Roger. A stunning drop volley renders it 7-5, one set all.

We’re back where we started. C’mon admit it, this wouldn’t be a Murray match without a setback or two along the way just to add to the drama.

• The third set sees Roger in imperious form. He holds to 15 and barely looks troubled - the confidence you get from winning a set, no doubt.

• Rain on the way - brollies up on Henman Hill. This second game of the third set is a nail-biter, Andy down 15-30 and looking rattled before he wins thre points in a row. 1-1 third set, 1-1 in sets.

• Roger races to 40-0 before the rain batters down and play is immediately suspended. The question is does the referee call for the roof or risk that the match can be finished in the open air after the shower passes.

Remember, once the roof is out, it cannot be put back again and the match will finish under cover It looks like more than just a shower so the betting must be on the roof being deployed. In which case there will be a 20-minute break at least and Andy will be able to consult Ivan Lendl as to what he does now.

Time for inane chatter from BBC pundits so we’re off for coffee - back when play resumes.

Feel free to comment on how you think the match has gone so far.

• Not long before the roof and air conditioning are ready and we will see the resumption of play. Indeed the players are returning to court.

Good of the BBC to show Jonathan Marray and Freddie Neilsen’s famous victory in the men’s doubles last night.

Marray was the first Briton to win the men’s doubles since 1936, the same year that Fred Perry was the last Briton to win the Men’s Singles. Virginia Wade was also the last Briton of either gender to win a Wimbledon singles title. She did it in 1977, the year of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Now we’re in the year of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. Omens all round?

• I’ve heard from some friends in a small village in the Borders. Apparently they are supping wine with their strawberries. Tsk, it’s usually Prosecco. Keep some for me. please!

• It’s a scramble to get back into the Centre Court seats but we’re all set. Roger serves out the game to go 2-1 ahead in the third set. Dr Who spotted in the audience - a sonic screwdriver to help Andy?

• We’re straight back into an absorbing match full of great tennis. Andy holds to 15, but what a drop shot Roger played for his point. 2-2 third set, 1-1 in sets.

• Federer’s serve is coming into its own and he holds easily. Who will the enforced break benefit? Too early to say perhaps, but one thing is for definite, the bookies still have Roger as favourite.

• Stunning backhand cross court shot puts Murray ahead, before Roger makes another error and goes wide. An ace brings up 40-0 before that ‘weak’ backhand of Roger’s makes it 40-15. Roger wins another point for 40-30, then

Andy slips and falls awkwardly as he chases a drop shot and though it’s a crashing fall, he gets up and grits his teeth. Deuce though, but you sense the crowd getting behind Andy, especially when he falls again on the wet turf. Andy saves three break points and this is now clearly a crucial game. The deuces pile up, neither man giving an inch, but Andy is clearly frustrated and beating up on himself. On the ninth deuce he hits a fabulous winner down the line, but can’t close it out. Roger’s lob onto the base line give him advantage and this time the Swiss maestro wins the game. A 20- minute game to put Roger in front 4-2.

• The previous game was massive in the overall context of the match, and you can only wonder at the effort put in by both men.

By contrast the the seventh game of the set is fairly straightforward.

Roger holds to 30 and Andy must now serve to save the third set.

• If Andy backs off at all, the set and possibly the match are lost. But he hammers down the first serves to go 40-0 up. Roger never gives up - the mark of the great champions - and gets back to 40-30 before another cracking first serve wraps up the game. 5-3 Roger

• At last we see the forehand pass that Murray has played to perfection during the tournament. He has avoided it because it risks a Roger return on his forehand - the best in the history of tennis. But it’s a lone sighting and it’s not enough as Roger closes out the game to win the third set 6-3.

Andy will remember that he had 40-0 in the game in which his serve was broken, but will that play on his mind? Fans of the Scot know we need a fifth set now. But first, Andy has to win this one.

• Fourth set, Murray to serve. Now we will find out if all the Lendl coaching on how to play a final will work. He serves well but looks a little stiff-legged when Roger punishes his second serve. Fatigue? Not likely - a terrific rally finished by a penetrating volley puts Andy ahead 1-0 in the fourth, but one set to two down.

• Andy Murray is returning shots no other player could get to, but Roger Federer is more than equal to those returns. A long rally ends with Murray gaining a break point, but his attempt at a winner goes just wide. Roger raises his game again and serves out for 1-1.

Notice we used their full names there - just in case you forgot who was playing....

• Andy serves his first double fault of the match - Roger has had two. Musclle twinges in the Murray leg seem to be bothering him, and that’s maybe cramp after nearly three hours of intense play. Just when he needs one, an ace makes it 30-30 and Andy serves out to 30. It’s 2-1 Andy in the fourth but 1-2 in sets.

Hope Andy has brought some electrolytes in his juice. Beer is also very good for cramp, but you suspect it’s not allowed courtside.

• An exquisite drop volley by Roger to start a service game he holds to love. Is Roger in the home straight?

• A couple of loose long shots by Andy bring up two break points for Roger and a fantastic backhand pass gets him the game. It’s 3-2 Roger, and you suspect that Roger Federer is just going to prove too good on the day, as he has done so often before.

But this Murray is different from the past versions - can he prove it?

• Murray cannot do anything about Roger’s genius except keep trying and hope that the Swiss goes back to making the errors he made in the first.. And even though he makes a couple, Roger closes out the game for a 4-2 lead in the fourth.

• Roger has got stronger and stronger as the game has worn on, but an ace and an overhead smash help Andy to hold to 30. He’s 3-4 and 1-2 in sets, and he must, just must break Roger’s serve or this match is all over.

So where do you find the strength to avert the inevitable? Within, that’s where. It is there - he just needs to find it.

• Andy simply must hold his serve to keep the match going, and Roger wasates a challenge trying to make it 0-30. The ball is well out, however, and Andy ups the service power to go 40-15 up. Roger’s response is to crank up his power and he gets back to deuce. Andy hits an ace, however, and then closes out for 5-4.

Roger will serve for the match, and the fans are chanting Murray Murray in a bid to rouse him.

• Murray somehow returns Roger’s howitzers on the first point but his lob - it’s been out of synch all day - goes long and it’s 15-15. Another failed Hawkeye challenge by Andy and Roger forges ahead.

Two championship points to Roger! Murray saves the first but his forehand is long on the second and it’s all over.

ROGER FEDERER WINS WIMBLEDON.

• A fantastic effort by Andy Murray but on the day he was just not as good as Roger Federer. Yet we are seeing Murray improve from season to season and this time he at least won a set. Grass is not his best surface, and the US Open will represent his best chance of a Grand Slam.

There is also the small matter of the Olympics to come, and he could yet be the hero of Britain if he takes gold at Wimbledon. Don’t forget he has two medal chances as he will play the doubles with his brother Jamie, still the only Scot to win a Grand Slam title as Wimbledon mixed doubles champion in 2007. But Andy will win a Slam one day - I’ve bet on it!