It was hard to avoid a sense of déjà vu on the Centre Court last night as Andy Murray's hopes of reaching the men's singles final were extinguished by Andy Roddick. Well, we've been here before, haven't we?
Murray, beaten 6-4 4-6 7-6 7-6 joined Tim Henman (four times) and Roger Taylor (three times) as a losing British semi-finalist in the men's singles. A suddenly disconsolate arena saw national hopes shattered for another year as he netted a backhand o
n match point.
Fred Perry remains our last Wimbledon men's champion, in 1936. Murray is still searching for that first grand slam title to crown his rise to tennis stardom.
And, let's be honest, the country is left wondering if we have inherited another gallant loser as our standard bearer.
The answer for tennis fans must be don't despair. Murray was defeated by a superior opponent on the day when his form suggested he was at least a likely finalist. But when the agony has subsided there are plusses to be gained for the player and the public.
Murray is only 22 and is still improving. His play during the Championships confirmed his status as a rising contender for the game's highest honours. If an inspired Roddick denied him yesterday it should be interpreted as a reminder of the challenges which lie ahead as well as confirming his ability to meet them.
The Scot was understandably disconsolate later but remained upbeat about the future.
"The way I played this year I was very, very close to getting to the final. If I give myself those sort of opportunities and keep playing well I believe I can win a grand slam, whether it's Wimbledon, the US Open or the Australian.
"I'll move on very quickly, work on my game, improve and come back stronger. It's a pathetic attitude to have if you lose one match and go away and let it ruin your year. I've had a very good year so far. I'm very close to the top of the game. The
US Open is my best surface, my best chance to win a slam and I'll give it my best shot there.''
In other words there were lessons to be learned from his headline hitting Wimbledon performances this year, and he is eager to learn them.
And, despite the dismay of not delivering the result the country craved, he is right to derive encouragement from his run to the last four.
So what went wrong in a semi-final which many observers expected him to win? The most surprising thing was the implacable display of Roddick who is renowned as a huge server but revealed other facets to his game in dealing with Murray's challenge.
The quality of his volleying was impeccable, and his unflappable demeanour suggested a man with an iron clad belief in his ability to win. There were no histrionics, just an implacable determination to get the job done. His clubbed backhand worked well, and there were unexpectedly deft touches in the shape of the occasional drop shot.
But his serving held the key. He hit a l40mph serve in the opening game and carried on in the same vein at around 130mph for the rest of the match.
Although Murray hit 25 aces during the contest, he could not equal the consistent pressure of Roddick's booming deliveries.
A rare lapse at the start of the second set gave Murray the break which led to set-all and the American did well to avoid a similar catastrophe by saving three break points in the first game of the third. After that it was a hard slog to the finishing line but the longer the match progressed the more he looked the likely winner.
And so to Roger Federer, a stylish and unruffled conqueror of Tommy Haas in the other semi-final. It looks odds-on Federer claiming a sixth Wimbledon crown and nosing ahead of Pete Sampras with an overall tally of 15 grand slam titles. But who could dismiss the chances of the resurgent Roddick after last night's display?
