"I never dreamed of being here. You just never give up. Aggie played so well, and she did an amazing job," said Williams, who was rushed to hospital last year to undergo surgery after a blood clot was found on her lungs.
Williams was a heavy favourite coming into the match and seemed set to dismantle the Polish player, who could pick up only one game in an opening set that ran for 36 minutes.
The American blew her nervous opponent off court in the first set, spraying countless winners off both flanks, but was then forced to go toe-to-toe with the Pole.
After a delay in proceedings due to rain, Williams continued to exert herself in moving 4-2 clear in the second set with a break only to appear to suffer a mental collapse as her service game and forehands seemed to desert her with Radwanska breaking back twice to force the final to a third set.
Williams lost to world number 111 Virginie Razzano in the first round of the French Open in May after being a set and 5-1 ahead in the tie-break, and it looked as if history was about to repeat itself with Radwanska, who has the consolation of being world number two after this tournament, scampering around the court with some relish.
Williams looked in trouble when she fell 2-1 behind early in the third set, but regained her composure to break for a 3-2 lead before she converted a drop shot to break for a second time to lead 5-2.
With the tension gone, she saw out the final by wining a fifth straight game. She closed out the match with a backhand winner and fell backwards onto the Centre Court turf in celebration before racing off court to embrace her family.
Source: uk.eurosport.yahoo.com
Wimbledon 2012: Jonny Marray has Britain seeing double after 76 years - hereisthecity.com
As it was, Marray walked away from Centre Court as the first Briton to win a men's doubles title at Wimbledon since – yes – 1936, following an epic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3 victory over the fifth seeds, Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau.
An omen for his near namesake? Or as good as it gets this weekend? Marray said he hoped Andy Murray had tuned in on the eve of his men's singles final: "I'm sure he was watching, he follows how all the guys do," Marray said. "We're friends. If it gives him any kind of inspirational help at all, I'm sure it would be good."
However Murray's match turns out, Marray and Nielsen deserve to luxuriate in an immense achievement in its own right. As the relaxed Anglo-Danish pair fed off the crowd and the occasion under the Centre Court roof, Lindstedt and Tecau – who had lost the previous two Wimbledon doubles finals to the Bryan brothers – appeared to shrink. A delay for rain at the end of the fourth set, with Marray and Nielsen – who had beaten the Bryan brothers on the previous day – leading 2-1 and their opponents reeling, appeared to work in their opponents' favour as they forced a fifth set.
But the wild-card pair dug deep and played their best tennis in the final set, converting a series of precise volleys to seal a doubles victory that was surely the most loudly celebrated in SW19 history.
"It was meant to be," said a dazed Marray. "I was more nervous in the changing room. When we got out on court, it felt great."
Marray may have a similar surname and wear the same adidas kit as Murray, but there the similarities end. Before Saturday night the 31-year-old from Sheffield's career earnings stood at £275,000, accrued on the hard slog of the Challenger circuit. Murray's total, before Sunday's final, stood at £13.2m.
Marray admitted there had been times when he thought about packing the sport in, but added: "I felt like I had a bit of unfinished business." After their victory, Nielsen joked that Marray could buy some new tennis shirts after sticking with the same one for luck.
But it was not money that Marray – who will share £260,000 for the win – and his partner were thinking of, so much as the weight of history. Nielsen is also used to operating in the shadow of a famous name – his grandfather Kurt was the only Danish man to reach a grand slam final, here at Wimbledon in 1953 and 1955. In a pre-match interview, the 28-year-old said that it was only in the past few years that people stopped referring to him as Kurt's grandson.
Marray was the first Briton to reach the final of the men's doubles since Bobby Wilson and Mike Davies did so in 1960. The last time a Briton won was 76 years ago. As the prospect of becoming only the second pair in history to lose three Wimbledon doubles finals on the trot loomed, doubt crept in for the Swede Lindstedt, who pointed his forefinger, shook his head and muttered at ballboys and the umpire.
Nielsen had a medical time-out in the third set, with a doctor applying heavy strapping on his left wrist. But it did not stop him and Marray wrapping up the pivotal third-set tie-break, even after the Yorkshireman had risked it by insisting that he had touched the net at 4-0 up.
In the fourth set tie-break, the fifth seeds held their nerve, battling back from 2-5 down. But in the second game of the climactic set, Lindstedt sent a volley long and gave Marray and Nielsen the crucial break. Marray was the stronger of the pair, geeing up his partner when he needed it, and confidently serving for the match to take the concluding set 6-3 in another late-night finish under the roof.
Tecau and Lindstedt had dropped only one set en route to the final. Nielsen and Marray had, by contrast, been taken to five sets in three of the five matches they had played to get this far and they grew into the match.
As the crowd acclaimed the victory with cheers that gave Nielsen "goosebumps", they did so in the hope it would not be the last time they would rise to celebrate a 76-year losing streak coming to an end this weekend.
guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2010
image: © Carine06
Source: hereisthecity.com
Wimbledon 2012 men's final, Andy Murray v Roger Federer: live - Daily Telegraph
11.40 Your messages of support for Murray are flying in, keep them coming. Here's Barnabas Bäuerle's advice for him.
What a great day this is for Britain and for Scotland! It is so very important for Andy to keep his cool and stay focused. He has to get off to a quick start, lest he be steamrolled by Roger. Andy has to try and shut out the huge occasion and his opponent and focus on himself. More often than not, that has been his problem. Such a shame Wimbledon has become an indoor event!
Such a shame Barnabas has gone for Federer to pip Murray, mind. I won't hold it against you.
I probably won't be very popular for my pick. I think, given the grandeur of the occasion and his incredible success in the past, Roger will take it in 4 close sets ... But if we cheer him on enough, Andy just might pull off a sensational win!
11.35 Murray said after Friday's win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga that he wasn't "bothered" how his parents manage to keep themselves composed during his nail-biting contests and that it's "much harder for me than them". Well, he's probably not fussed either that mum Judy can't decide just what to wear for her son's big day.
11.30 Morning all, Vicki here taking over the reins from Emily and I promise not to leave my seat for the next six or seven hours or as long as it takes for Murray to end Britain's 76-year wait for a men's champion at SW19. Let me know how you're going to be following today's match and tweet us your pictures whether you're currently in the queue or getting prepared for a Wimbledon party this afternoon. Tweet us your pictures at @TelegraphSport.
11.22 Right, my brief stint on Murray is over, I hand you over to Vicki Hodges who will take you through the afternoon, I'm switching my tennis head for my F1 head and blogging Silverstone. Enjoy the tennis!
11.17 The roof remains closed on Centre Court so it looks like we're on for a 2pm start and some very damp fans on Murray Mound.
11.13 So I've mentioned Bunny Austin as the last British man to reach the final but two years before him, Fred Perry actually won the trophy. So when football fans complain about 46 years of hurt they've got nothing on tennis fans. Perry's win in 1936 was no fluke, he wasn't backed after a major seed was knocked out, no, that win in fact completed a hat-trick of consecutive wins on the SW19 grass and contributed to him holding the world No 1 ranking for four years. He's also the only British players to have ever won a grand slam and a 'career grand slam'. No pressure on Murray then, there's some rather substantial trainers to fill, winning today would just be the tip of the iceberg.
While Murray contemplates one of the biggest matches of his career, I say one of because let's not forget he has actually reached this stage of a grand slam three times, his mum Judy is having problems of her own:
First email of the day, and Ian Ruxton's gunning for Murray
"Gosh, with the Archbishop of York on his side Andy really can't lose can he? Cmon Andy - time to smash Roger and grab the prize!!"
Knowing I am through to the final of Wimbledon fills me with so many emotions, but all of that will count for nothing unless I come away with the title.The only thing I can afford to focus on is my game and Roger Federer. He is a player I've beaten in the past, and I can do it again. He is arguably the best player of all time. There are a few guys who have a decent claim, but I'd say Roger and Pete Sampras. Sunday will be a great challenge and one that excites me. When you make it to this stage of a tournament it can be easy to get distracted, but I've kept things as normal as possible. A spot of practice, plenty of physio, chats with my team and walks with the dogs. The one thing I can guarantee is that I'll fight my absolute heart out. I need to give everything I have from the first point to the last."
10.50 Who's who on Centre Court, our man Jonathan Liew bring you a run down of who you might spot as the cameras tour the show court, starting with those he refers to as 'the hangers on'
Among the dignitaries in the Royal Box will be Pippa Middleton’s sister Kate and Alex Salmond, the batrachian first minister of Scotland. Also attending is David Cameron, gallantly facing down our nation’s many problems by spending a day at the tennis. If Murray hadn’t made the final, you can bet he would have sent Clegg.
10.47 Murray clearly in everyone's thoughts today, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu's even written him a prayer, take a look, bless him.
Loving God we are so filled with hope by the Wimbledon final today! Guide Andy Murray in the choices that come to him with every ball. Make us all the best that we can be, by your Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ, to the glory of God our Father. Amen.
10.30 Good morning and welcome to coverage of the men's final. There we were thinking it's sole use would be to celebrate the jubilee last month but break out the bunting there's a Briton in the Wimbledon final! It's the day tennis fans and Murray lovers/haters have waited for for years and it's finally here! The bad news? David Beckham is on his way to Wimbledon and we all know what kind of omen he has been at British sporting events...as my colleague Donna Bowater puts it:
Who's feeling patriotic this morning then? Do we think Murray's got what it takes to dispatch the King of Centre Court? In little under four hours the eyes of the nation will be on the show court as the 25-year-old attempts to break a 74-year Wimbledon hoodoo for British tennis. Bunny Austin was the last home-grown player to reach this stage of the competition, that was back in 1938 when he played Don Budge, but let's hope Murray has more luck this afternoon as Austin only won four games in the entire match.
In typically British fashion rain has been falling all night and this morning though the heavens appear to have closed for now and that things are brightening up down at SW19. The roof is on for now.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
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