I may not be able to do this fully as I have to catch a flight, but we’ll go for about 3 hours.

FIRST SET

The roof is open, so the match will start outdoors.  Murray called tails, but the coin toss came out heads.  Roger elected to serve.

 *Federer-Murray 0-1.  Fed seems a little nervous, made a few errors.  Murray playing a bit more aggressive in his shots.

 *Federer-Murray 0-2.  Murray in a touch of trouble, but willing to exchange forehands with Fed now.  Holds serve.

 *Federer-Murray 1-2. Federer holds in a tight match.  Murray is getting into more Fed games than Djokovic did.  Fed still serving a bit slower than usual, between 115-120 mph.  Fed’s groundies looking more solid than usual.

 Federer-Murray 2-2*. Murray had a lead in this service game, but Fed hit a great down the line backhand which set up break point.  Murray spun the first short, and Fed took advantage with an aggressive return and a missed Murray backhand pass.  Fed breaks back!

 *Federer-Murray 3-2. Murray hits a nice low pass that Fed didn’t volley in.  Then, Murray tosses two lobs which Fed misses. 0-30.  Murray hits a forehand a bit long, 15-30.  Fed makes a good pickup on a net tick by Murray, hitting it deep crosscourt, which Murray misses.  30-all.  Fed continues to attack the Murray forehand.  40-30.  Another long rally, but Fed hits it wide.  Murray mostly attacking the Fed backhand.  Deuce. Fed makes two great volleys to make it his ad.  Murray fires a down the line backhand which Fed hacks at.  Deuce.  Murray returns shot long.  Ad Fed.  Fed hits another good serve.  Holds.

Overall, Fed seems more willing to play longer rallies.  Seems confident with his backhand, the first time I’ve seen it this good since 2010 Australian Open.  He’s improved it the last 6 months, so it’s been getting there, but it’s been a long-term project to work on this.  Doesn’t hurt that he’s playing on grass where low hitting is more his style.

 Federer-Murray 3-3*.  Murray fires an ace 15-0.  Murray hits a backhand long, 15-all.  Fed goes after his backhand, but nets it.  30-15.  Another good serve, 40-15.  Fed rips a winner with his backhand.  40-30.  Murray slaps a forehand in the net.  Deuce.  Fed nets a backhand return on a second serve.  Ad Murray.  Another good serve to hold.  This was the second tricky game Murray has played, but managed to hold.

 *Federer-Murray 4-3.  Fed hits two good first serves with no returns.  Next serve is big, with weak reply.  Fed hits inside out winner.  Fed nets a forehand.  Murray hits shot wide.  Wins game.

Already, the rallies are much longer than the first two sets of Federer-Djokovic where serve played a big role.  It’s feeling more like the third set where rallies got much longer.

 Federer-Murray 4-4*.  Fed chips and charges down the middle.  Murray lobs.  Fed hits inside out overhead.  Fed hits inside in forehand for a winner.  0-30.  Murray hits a big one down the T.  15-30.  Murray hits a down the line forehand after a good inside out forehand.  30-all.  Fed hits his backhand return to the moon.  40-30.  Fed approaches net, hits stop volley.  Murray nets the pass.  Deuce.  Murray takes a short return and drives inside out winner.  Ad Murray.  Murray hits a short crosscourt slice and Fed slices it back with interest.  Deuce.  Fed hits a big backhand and Murray hits the reply long.  Ad Federer.  Another good inside out forehand.  Deuce.  Murray hits backhand up the line which lets Fed hits fh crosscourt.  Ad Fed.  Murray approaches the net, gets a volley and hits it very deep.  Fed hits lob long.  Deuce.  Murray hits power fh cc.  Fed whips cc fh out wide.  Ad Murray.  Missing first serves.  Murray hits inside out, but Fed is waiting for it.  Hits inside in.  Deuce.  Fed hits a fh long.  Ad Murray.  Murray challenges a first serve fault.  He’s wrong.  No challenges left.  Murray hits second serve to bh.  Fed nets return.  Game Murray.

 *Federer-Murray 4-5.  Fed hits wild bh.  15-all.  Murray guns for Fed on a pass.  15-30.  Fed overplays a forehand when Murray floats a deep return.  15-40.  Fed nets a forehand.  Murray breaks!

One thing Murray may have learned from Lendl is to hit at the volleyer.  It’s a valid tennis play and is a form of intimidation.  Lendl used it so well against Mac in the early years that Mac became afraid to come to net.

 Federer-Murray* 4-6. Murray closes in and pounces on a volley.  15-0.  Series of hard backhand exchanges.  Similar to what happened in the Djokovic.  Murray switched directions down the line.  Fed hits an aggressive fh down the line.  It’s called out.  Challenge overrules it.  Murray missed the reply to that fh, but replay the point.   Fed hits big inside out fh return.  15-all.  Murray makes a big serve.  30-15.  Ace.  40-15.  Murray hits an unreturned serve.

Murray wins first set!

After a really tough hold, which was critical for Murray, Murray is able to get into Fed’s game and serve for the set.  This is big for Murray because he’s never played from ahead in a Slam final.  Even so, the two are playing pretty even.  Fed is hitting pretty solid off the ground.  He’s strong off the backhand, and still powerful on the fh.

SECOND SET

*Federer-Murray 1-0.  Fed gets to net 15-0.  Nice T serve.  30-0.  Another good serve followed by an overhead.  40-0.  Ace up the T.  Game.  The kind of game Fed wants to play.

 Federer-Murray* 1-1.  Missed a volley, missed a down the line bh.  0-30.  Fed nets return.  15-30.  Murray swoops in on a short ball, hits cc winner.  30-all.  Federer pelts a return hard.  Murray misses followup.  30-40.  Murray approaches on a hard crosscourt.  Fed had sliced his return crosscourt.  Hit shot wide.  Deuce.  Murray approaches net to hit the volley.  Not a great volley.  Fed bolo whips a pass, but long.  Ad Murray.  Long baseline exchange.  Roger hits cc hard.  Murray nets up the line shot.  Deuce.  Fed approaches up the middle again.  Murray hits cc and Fed nets the volley.  Ad Murray.  Fed approaches net, hits cc volley to Murray’s fh.  Murray misses pass.  Deuce.  Fed hits return barely long.  Ad Murray.  Murray hits inside out forehand for winner.  Holds.

*Federer-Murray 2-1.  Murray misses return long.  15-0.  Fed overhits inside out forehand.  15-all.  Fed hits swinging volley.  30-15.  Murray makes error going for shot.  40-15.  Fed double faults.  40-30.  Murray’s second lob goes long.  Fed holds.

Federer-Murray* 2-2.  Fed nets fh return,  15-0.  Great sharp inside out forehand.  Murray gets to it, but misses.  15-all.  Fed nets another fh return.  30-15.  Fed returns short.  Murray hits cc fh.  Fed finesses a cc pass.  Murray drop volleys.  40-15.  Fed nets a bh.  Game.

*Federer-Murray 3-2.  Nice series of net shots.  Fed getting to a lot of volleys.  15-0.  Fed approaches on next serve.  Ball called long then overruled.  Point replayed.  15-all.  Murray hits a dink bh overhead after Fed had dropped then lobbed.  Fed unable to retrieve.  15-all.  Fed dropped again, and approached.  Murray passed down the line.  15-30.  Murray powers inside out fh and came to net.  Murray volleys to open court.  15-40.  Fed hit a drop volley, then Murray lobbed, and Fed hit overhead.  30-40.  Murray hits bh cc return wide.  Deuce.  Fed had to hit several overheads to win the point.  Ad Fed.  Fed volleys Murray attempted pass into open court.  Holds.

This was a critical hold for Fed.  Murray has done well to hold serves in long games.  Fed is showing he can do it too.  Had he lost this game, he would really be in trouble.  Still, Murray is making Fed play most of his serves.

Federer-Murray* 3-3. Murray makes two good first serves.  30-0.  Ace.  40-0.  Another strong serve.  Murray feeling good on serve.

*Federer-Murray 4-3.  Murray moonballs return and Fed swing volleys.  Fed serves and volley.  40-0.  Another easy game so far.  Another smash.  Game.

 Federer-Murray* 4-4.  Fed goes for an aggressive return, but Murray hangs in.  Fed nets bh.  15-0.  Fed nets inside in fh after a good return by Fed which Murray sliced.  30-0.  Nice Murray serve.  40-0.  Murray hits inside out forehand long.  40-15.  Another curler into the bh.  Game.

*Federer-Murray 5-4.  Murray returns short.  Federer hits cc winner.  15-0.  Murray hits hard inside in fh.  15-all.  Murray tries to whip a defensive fh, but nets it.  30-15.  Fed overhits inside out fh.  30-all.  Fed hits bh into the doubles alley.  30-40.  Murray overhits down the line bh.  Deuce.  Murray approaches on cc bh, volleys into open court.  Ad Murray.  Murray forced to lob after Fed attacks on fh.  Hits two overheads to win it.  Deuce.  Fed gets short reply then hits down the line.  Fed yells Come on!  Ad Fed.  Fed hits inside in fh into alley.  Deuce.  Fed slices out wide.  Murray challenges, but loses the challenge.  Ad Fed.  Murray hits an aggressive return but Fed hits aggressive cc.  Murray misses into alley.  Game Fed.

Federer-Murray* 5-5.  Fed hits return a little long.  15-0.  Murray hits a deep down the line shot.  Fed nets bh.  30-0.  Ace up the T.  40-0.  Murray sneaks into net once he sees a weak reply.  Volleys into open court.  Game Murray.

*Federer-Murray 6-5.  Murray nets return.  15-0.  Murray hits hard shot, then a drop.  Fed lobs out.  15-all.  Another lob followed by another Fed smash.  30-15.  Double fault.  30-all.  Ace up the T.  40-30.  Murray’s cc bh return clips the net and dribbles over.  Deuce.  Murray not able to get much on return.  Fed hits inside out winner.  Ad Fed.  Murray nets bh slice return.  Game Fed.

Federer-Murray* 7-5.  Ace up the T.  15-0.  Fed barely gets return back.  Murray gets to the net, gets big cc fh.  Fed already rushes to his right, tries to pass.  Murray volleys to open court. 30-0.  Fed drop shots.  Murray hits slice re-drop.  Fed drives to baseline.  30-15.  Murray goes for big inside in fh but misses long.  30-all.  Fed hits a short shot, Murray closes to net to hit lob.  Lands long.  30-40.  Fed closes to net, gets the break!

Fed wins second set!

This was a pretty close set with chances for both players.  Fed’s save on his own serve was key.  Even this game was really tight, and Fed hit just a good enough shot to get the win.  He’s hitting surprisingly well from the net.  I think Fed knows what kind of approaches allow him to volley.

THIRD SET

*Federer-Murray 1-0.  Fed holds easily to 40-15.

Federer-Murray* 1-1.  Murray misses fh wide.  0-15.  Murray digs out good cc shot, then passes with bh.  15-all.  Murray hits hard inside out.  30-all.  Fed hits down the line shot long.  40-30.  Big serve.  Hold

*Federer-Murray .  Murray slaps a cc fh pass into the net.  15-0.  Murray drops.  Fed hits down the line.  30-0.  Murray drives cc fh off a Fed slice long.  40-0.

Play is suspended due to rain.