Princess of Wimbledon
VENUS and Serena Williams have shared the title of Wimbledon’s Queen for years. But yesterday Venus made way for Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, who took the Ladies Singles title in style.
IT might not be the Murray people thought it would be nor the woman on whom the nation had pinned their hopes.
However, there will be a British winner at Wimbledon today when Jamie Murray and Heather Watson face each other in the Mixed Doubles final.
Back on Thursday, the prospect of Andy and Johanna Konta reaching Wimbledon Singles finals seemed very real.
But after they both crashed out – Murray at the quarter-final stage and Konta in the semis – it looked like British tennis would draw a blank.
It is the first time that two Brits will have faced each other in a Wimbledon final since 1961, when Angela Mortimer beat Christine Truman Janes.
And for the fifth time in the last six years, there will be a Murray in a Wimbledon final.
Jamie, who won the mixed doubles title with Jelena Jankovic, said: “I’ve got a lot more experience under my belt than I had in 2007. I have played a lot of big matches over the last few years. We are confident. We are a good team.”
He only teamed up with Swiss star Martina Hingis a week before the tournament – the Scot was not going to play – and she said: “I’m pleased with my pick!”
Jamie added: “It’s good news for us that there is another Murray in a final. I hope it continues!
“We know both of them well. Henri hits the ball so hard, so he is very difficult to play against, and Heather is a really good doubles player.
“It is going to be a tough match. But then it is going to be tough for them as well.
Watson and her Finnish Henri Kontinen have also proved an effective team.
“We always have fun,” she said. “It’s the best way to go because if you’re too tense, your mind is not free and you don’t think clearly.”
SCOTTISH wheelchair star Gordon Reid and his partner Alfie Hewitt claimed the first British title of Wimbledon 2017 when they won the men’s doubles title for the second year running.
They beat French top seeds Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Heifer in a near three-hour epic, battling back from a set down to win 7-6 5-7 7-6 after an hour’s rain break.
Reid, who has been fighting for funding for his sport, said: “The spectacle was immense and that’s going to do a lot for our sport as a whole.
“I never thought we’d play on a packed out Court 3.
“Grass is difficult, anyway, but the court was very soft because of the rain and the baseline was muddy and even the ball kids were falling over.
“The wheels were spinning and you were sinking, slipping and sliding, but we kept focus and let the tennis do the talking.
“The commercial side of our sport hasn’t been too strong but over the last 12 months we’ve raised the profile and we are targets for companies to get behind us.
“The US and Australian Opens haven’t kept up the pace so sponsors are very important.”