The Last King Of Scotland

The match of the day, however, belonged to Andy Murray and Richard Gasquet.

Gasquet is the owner of the most beautiful one-handed backhand in the game today (he earned that title when Justine Henin abruptly retired earlier this year). Gasquet is French, and like all French tennis players, he possesses a game that is stunningly fluid and wonderful to watch, he is a shotmaker, and he is mentally very, very fragile.



Up two sets to none, and serving for the match at 5-4, he folded like the New York Mets and before you know it, Andy Murray was roaring back to win the match in five difficult sets, at 9:30 pm, in the fading light.

I like Murray, he is as laid-back and low-key as his game is dogged. He has often been described as sullen, but I always thought that it wasn't sullenness writ large all over his face, but the existential agnst that comes with carrying the hopes of a tennis-worshiping nation on your back (now that Tim Henman had gracefully faded into the sunset).

But something happened to him today. Today, he became the kind of fist-pumping, chest-thumping, roaring dervish seldom seen in British tennis (accentuating his win with a show of his rather meager biceps). And in doing so he brought the British public over to his side, once and for all.



Of course, he must enjoy this while he can, because he faces the inexorable Rafael Nadal next. But for now, he truly is...wait for it...

...wait for it...

...The Last King of Scotland


LINKS

The Scotsman: Lionhearted Murray Embraced