Federer looks imperious as Murray chases Holy Grail

First, a confession of sorts. Amid an absorbing week which saw the departure of Andy Roddick, an ailing Robin Soderling and Li Na, the match which gripped the attention of your venerable tennis correspondent was in the second round of the women’s singles.

The oldest player in the women’s draw, Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan, aged 40, faced Venus Williams, 31, five times champion, and the exchanges were rivetting.

Date-Krumm had secured the first result on the tournament’s opening day by demolishing Yorkshire’s Katie O’Brien 6-0 7-5 in 64 minutes.

Here she threatened the eclipse of Venus before succumbing 6-7 6-3 8-6.

Grunting was minimal, and the quality of the tennis was exceptional.

Did the age factor come into the equation?

Probably, with most spectators leaning towards the 40-plus challenge of Kimiko.

Whatever: it made a huge impression on a vastly entertained Centre Court.

The really serious business begins today, of course, as we approach the sharp end of the tournament.

The four main contenders for the men’s title are still in place, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray having moved implacably towards their projected semi-final berths.

Murray is coming under increasingly close scrutiny as he attempts to become the first British winner of the title since Fred Perry in 1936.

Apart from the occasional fatuous cries of “Come on, Tim” he seems to have secured the crowd’s support as well as quelling the inner demons which can make him an unlovable figure on court.

He is still easily rattled, and familiar mannerisms remain like the anguished reaction to a lost point, the desperate looks to his support team, the thwacking of his racket strings and the muttered imprecations which are best left private.

But there were encouraging signs against Ivan Ljubicic under the Centre Court roof on Friday night.

Ljubicic was playing splendidly, and Murray had to raise his game to come through in four morale-boosting sets where he swapped shot for shot and did not allow snarling tetchiness to assume control.

Is a grand slam champion’s mindset emerging from the inner torment?

A few more questions will be answered this afternoon when he faces Richard Gasquet, the owner of the most bewitching backhand in tennis.

On paper the match is there for the taking. Murray has beaten Gasquet twice after losing the first two sets, famously at Wimbledon in 2008 and subsequently at the French Open.

So even the prospect of a marathon should not daunt our grumpy standard bearer.

My feeling is that more of the discipline he showed in defeating an in-form Ljubicic will be enough to despatch the flamboyant but often fragile Frenchman who, despite his protestations to the contrary, must be stalked by the memory of those two five-set defeats.

All will be revealed on the Centre Court today as Murray resumes his quest for the Holy Grail of tennis.

Looking at the overall picture, it is hard to ignore the serene progress of Federer.

Nadal, Djokovic and Murray have had their squalls but the Swiss maestro has been in imperious form so far.

Although we are only half way through these 125th Championships, he seems to be heading inexorably for a seventh title which would equal the record of Pete Sampras and William Renshaw.

From a Yorkshire standpoint, the week ended on a sad note for doubles specialist Jonny Marray, the county’s only survivor in the senior events.

Marray and Jamie Delgado were beaten 4-6 7-6 7-6 6-2 by Wesley Moodie and Dick Norman, and as the shadows lengthened on Saturday night, the Sheffield player partnered Anne Keothavong in a fluctuating 3-6 6-4 8-6 defeat by Italy’s Andreas Seppi and Alberta Brianti.