Murray's Dramatics Put Him Centre Stage But Nadal Will End the Show

Centre Court has its new darling. Andy Murray is still a very long way from displacing Fred Perry as the last Briton to win the men's singles at Wimbledon, but he went some way to replacing Tim Henman as the object of SW19's affections this evening. As he bore a triumphant flexed bicep at the end of his 5-7, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Richard Gasquet, the reception was tumultuous.

After seeing off Tommy Haas on Saturday, Murray played to the home support by saying he had his eye on the final; and yet, before today, the crowd had rarely been much more than lukewarm. The audience on Centre politely applauded when he arrived on court this afternoon but there was little of the warmth to which Henman was accustomed. Indeed, more than one distinctively English voice was heard proffering support for Gasquet during the opening exchanges.

Through two-and-a-half sets it looked as though such dissenters were going to get their wish as Gasquet dominated proceedings. Huge serves had Murray lunging at thin air, while searing topspin groundstrokes - most notably his renowned one-handed backhand - took an impossibly low trajectory over the net and repeatedly found the baseline. Murray is an adept defender and kept himself in rallies with admirable tenacity, but the experience was taking its toll.

When Gasquet broke to take a 5-4 lead in the third set the result looked a foregone conclusion, but suddenly Murray found hidden reserves. This crowd loves scrappers even more than winners and they came alive as Murray broke back in the next game amid a flurry of Henman-esque fist pumps. By the time Murray claimed the tie-breaker with a stunning passing backhand, the battle had been won. Center Court roared its approval as he pounded his chest in celebration.

By then Gasquet was a beaten man. The Frenchman's fiery temperament has seen him dubbed "the Microwave" and that this game was won and lost in the mind is beyond doubt. Lapses in concentration have cost Murray, whose obsession with the dropshot continues to frustrate; but it was Gasquet who lost his cool and, in the third and seventh games of the fourth set, then the first of the fifth, his service too. Murray, on the other hand, would not be broken again.

When the draw was made for this year's Championships hopeful Murray followers didn't need long to spot that second seed Rafael Nadal was a potential quarter-final opponent, and now that match has materialised. It is likely to be the last of Murray's tournament. Even if it is, you can be sure that this crowd will be cheering his name.