Wimbledon semi-final challenge for Andy Murray

As he prepares to battle for a place in the men’s final, British number one Andy Murray will not need reminding that the last time a Briton won the Wimbledon men’s singles title was 75 years ago, in 1936.

The world number four today faces top seed and reigning champion Rafael Nadal in the semi-ifinals in the second match on Centre Court.

Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga opened play at 1pm in a game which saw the Serb become the new world number one. Djokovic fought off a resilient display from Frenchman Tsonga to earn a place in the final.

Djokovic performed well in the face of some brutal tennis from his towering opponent and will be confirmed as world number one on Monday, regardless of whether he beats either Andy Murray or Rafael Nadal in Sunday’s final.

Two-time champion Nadal is favourite to beat Murray. The 24-year-old Scot was beaten by Nadal in the French Open semi-final four week ago, as well as in last year’s Wimbledon semi-final.

But Murray says he is not intimidated by another meeting with Nadal, and is looking forward to the match.

“When I’m on the court I’m not thinking about my place in history but when I look back on my career, I’ll want to see where I was in the grand scheme of things,” Murray wrote on his BBC blog.

“It’s all right being good in your little two- or three-year window, but how that compares to previous eras will be fascinating.

“It’s also a big part of why Wimbledon is such a huge event and has people queuing for two or three nights to get a ticket on Centre Court.”

Up to 15 million viewers are expected to watch Murray’s semi-final clash.

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Murray mania

The British number one was mobbed yesterday as he practised. Hundreds of fans watched and gathered round him as he left Court 17.

If Andy Murray makes it through to the final, ticket prices for Sunday’s game are expected to soar.

In his home city of Dunblane, well-wishers said they felt he could “go all the way to the final”.

Tom McLean, landlord of the Dunblane Hotel, which screens Murray’s games, said he had “champagne on ice” in anticipation of Murray making history.

And another Brit has joined Murray in the semi-finals of the 125th All England Championships: 17-year-old Liam Broady, in the juniors.

Broady, a rising star and, like Fred Perry, born in Stockport, wished Murray all the best and vowed to be with him on Centre Court in a few years’ time.

In the women’s game, former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova won her place in the 2011 final after beating Sabine Lisicki. She will be joined by eighth seed Petra Kvitova, who knocked out Bulgarian Victoria Azarenka.

A Briton at Wimbledon
Poet Adam Taylor reflects ahead of Andy Murray’s make-or-break match.

you assert
he dictates
you go for the kill
he assassinates

he knows he will
you think you might
you say good evening
he says goodnight

he lifts an eyebrow
you’re known to quibble
he is a canapé
you are the nibbles

you are the liver
he is the pâté
he’s an espresso
you are a latte

you are a penthouse
he is a chateau
he’s at his peak
you’re at your plateau

you’re a repeat
he’s an encore
you are his battle
he is your war

he gets the cup
you get the mug
we shake his hand
but you we hug