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Brutal Nadal kills Murray challenge
Andy Murray admitted he got his tactics wrong after his "high-risk" strategy against Rafael Nadal ended in a four-set semi-final defeat at Wimbledon.
The British number one, who has now lost three successive Wimbledon semis, started well but lost 5-7 6-2 6-2 6-4.
"Maybe I got the balance a bit wrong," said the 24-year-old, who hit 39 unforced errors against the Spaniard.
"But you need to try to find a way. Each time you play against one of the best you need to play differently."
The Scot impressively won the first set when the Majorcan uncharacteristically faltered in the 11th game.
But just when the momentum was with him, Murray hit a straightforward mid-court forehand long at 2-1 in the second set and the chance of two break points were squandered.
Murray's Wimbledon record
Continue reading the main story 2005: Murray reaches third round in his debut campaign
2006: Beats Andy Rod**** on the way to the fourth round
2007: Misses Championships because of wrist injury
2008: Loses to Rafael Nadal in quarter-finals.
2009: Beaten in four sets by Rod**** in the semi-finals
2010: Straight set semi-final defeat by Rafael Nadal
2011: Thwarted by Nadal once again in the last four.
"It was a big point," admitted the world number four. "I was playing very high-risk tennis for most of the match. I went for it, and I started to make a few mistakes after that.
"But you can't talk about a match that goes almost three hours being decided based on one point. But that point was one that I should have won, for sure."
The Brit gave the patriotic Centre Court crowd an early scare when he called for a trainer at the beginning of the first set for treatment on an injury sustained during the quarter-final victory over Feliciano Lopez.
He insisted, however, his damaged hip did not hamper him during the three-hour tussle.
"My hip was sore right at the beginning of the match," he said. "After I saw the physio, took a painkiller, it was fine. I hardly felt my hip after that."
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Despondent Murray admits need to improve
Murray's search for a maiden Grand Slam title continues, as does the wait for a homegrown champion at The All England Club.
The shadow of Fred Perry, the last Briton to win the men's title in 1936, looms large over British hopes in this most venerable of tournaments, but Murray remained positive - even though this was his fifth defeat in either the semi-finals or the final of a Grand Slam in the last two years.
"It's tough. But I'm giving it my best shot each time. I'm trying my hardest. That's all you can do," said the Scot.
"I'm disappointed. But normally, after four or five days, bar Australia in the last couple of years, I've recovered relatively quickly from losing because I'm just trying to get better.
"I feel like I'm playing better tennis than I was last year at this point."
It was a bitter-sweet day for Nadal, who extended his winning run at SW19 to 20 matches but was usurped as world number one by Novak Djokovic after the Serb's semi-final win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
"For me, seriously, that's something that really doesn't matter a lot," said Nadal of the number one status.
"I said last year when I was number three or number four, I said when I was number one, it is not a big goal for me.
Continue reading the main story
"For me, the big goal is to be competitive, be healthy. Be competitive every time when I am on court and try to be at my best in the important moments in all the tournaments."
Murray lost in straight sets to Nadal at the same stage of Wimbledon last year and has only won four of the previous 15 encounters against the 10-time Grand Slam winner.
But the Spaniard had only praise for his opponent, describing the Scot as "the best player without a Grand Slam that I've ever seen."
Unlike Murray, however, Nadal believed the fourth game of the second set, when Murray wasted two break points, was pivotal.
"I was a little bit lucky. He had an easy forehand in the middle of the court and he missed. So that was probably the turning point of the match," said Nadal.
"He lost probably a little bit the intensity of the beginning. But to play like he played in the first set is not easy. He played really complete tennis."
Murray breaks Rafa to win first set
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Andy Murray admitted he got his tactics wrong after his "high-risk" strategy against Rafael Nadal ended in a four-set semi-final defeat at Wimbledon.
The British number one, who has now lost three successive Wimbledon semis, started well but lost 5-7 6-2 6-2 6-4.
"Maybe I got the balance a bit wrong," said the 24-year-old, who hit 39 unforced errors against the Spaniard.
"But you need to try to find a way. Each time you play against one of the best you need to play differently."
The Scot impressively won the first set when the Majorcan uncharacteristically faltered in the 11th game.
But just when the momentum was with him, Murray hit a straightforward mid-court forehand long at 2-1 in the second set and the chance of two break points were squandered.
Murray's Wimbledon record
Continue reading the main story 2005: Murray reaches third round in his debut campaign
2006: Beats Andy Rod**** on the way to the fourth round
2007: Misses Championships because of wrist injury
2008: Loses to Rafael Nadal in quarter-finals.
2009: Beaten in four sets by Rod**** in the semi-finals
2010: Straight set semi-final defeat by Rafael Nadal
2011: Thwarted by Nadal once again in the last four.
"It was a big point," admitted the world number four. "I was playing very high-risk tennis for most of the match. I went for it, and I started to make a few mistakes after that.
"But you can't talk about a match that goes almost three hours being decided based on one point. But that point was one that I should have won, for sure."
The Brit gave the patriotic Centre Court crowd an early scare when he called for a trainer at the beginning of the first set for treatment on an injury sustained during the quarter-final victory over Feliciano Lopez.
He insisted, however, his damaged hip did not hamper him during the three-hour tussle.
"My hip was sore right at the beginning of the match," he said. "After I saw the physio, took a painkiller, it was fine. I hardly felt my hip after that."
Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.Despondent Murray admits need to improve
Murray's search for a maiden Grand Slam title continues, as does the wait for a homegrown champion at The All England Club.
The shadow of Fred Perry, the last Briton to win the men's title in 1936, looms large over British hopes in this most venerable of tournaments, but Murray remained positive - even though this was his fifth defeat in either the semi-finals or the final of a Grand Slam in the last two years.
"It's tough. But I'm giving it my best shot each time. I'm trying my hardest. That's all you can do," said the Scot.
"I'm disappointed. But normally, after four or five days, bar Australia in the last couple of years, I've recovered relatively quickly from losing because I'm just trying to get better.
"I feel like I'm playing better tennis than I was last year at this point."
It was a bitter-sweet day for Nadal, who extended his winning run at SW19 to 20 matches but was usurped as world number one by Novak Djokovic after the Serb's semi-final win over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
"For me, seriously, that's something that really doesn't matter a lot," said Nadal of the number one status.
"I said last year when I was number three or number four, I said when I was number one, it is not a big goal for me.
Continue reading the main story
It's just amazing that one point and one shot can have such a bearing on the match. Murray was in complete control but as it was he overhit that forehand by a couple of inches.
"For me, the big goal is to be competitive, be healthy. Be competitive every time when I am on court and try to be at my best in the important moments in all the tournaments."
Murray lost in straight sets to Nadal at the same stage of Wimbledon last year and has only won four of the previous 15 encounters against the 10-time Grand Slam winner.
But the Spaniard had only praise for his opponent, describing the Scot as "the best player without a Grand Slam that I've ever seen."
Unlike Murray, however, Nadal believed the fourth game of the second set, when Murray wasted two break points, was pivotal.
"I was a little bit lucky. He had an easy forehand in the middle of the court and he missed. So that was probably the turning point of the match," said Nadal.
"He lost probably a little bit the intensity of the beginning. But to play like he played in the first set is not easy. He played really complete tennis."
Murray breaks Rafa to win first set
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