London, July 5
Agnieszka Radwanska became the first Polish Grand Slam finalist for 73 years as the world number three cruised to a 6-3, 6-4 win over Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the Wimbledon semi-finals on Thursday.
Radwanska’s first appearance in a Grand Slam final emulates the achievement of compatriot Jadwiga Jedrzejowska, who reached the French Championships final in 1939.
The 23-year-old -- a Wimbledon junior champion in 2005 -- will play four-time champion Serena Williams or world number two Victoria Azarenka in Saturday’s final.
Radwanska deserved her moment of glory on Centre Court after a remarkably composed 70-minute display in her first major semi-final and she could yet leave London as both Wimbledon champion and the new world number one.
Deploying a consistent counter-punching game, Radwanska made just six unforced errors compared to 14 from the more aggressive but unfocused Kerber, who had been attempting to become the first German woman to reach a Grand Slam final since Steffi Graf at Wimbledon in 1999.
Andy Murray must overcome stress and British expectations as much as French opponent Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in his best chance yet to reach a first Wimbledon final.
The fourth seed thrilled an expectant Centre Court crowd by fighting back from a set down to beat Spaniard David Ferrer 6-7 7-6 6-4 7-6 in a rain-disrupted quarter-final on Wednesday and set up a last-four meeting with fifth seed Tsonga.
Murray, seeking to become the first British man to reach the Wimbledon final since 1938, said that to cope with the huge expectations he ignored outside opinion and focused on his inner circle.
"Subconsciously, I’m probably pretty stressed out right now but I try not to show it," he told a news conference.
"Obviously, the pressure is there, if I thought too much about it, it would become too much, but if you shield yourself and listen only to those around you, you can manage.
"And they give you the confidence you need," he added.
Murray had been drawn to face Rafa Nadal, his conqueror in two of his previous three semi-finals, but the Spanish world number two suffered a shock second-round defeat.
"I’m in a good position (to reach the final). Whether it’s my best chance I don’t know but I want to push on," Murray said.
"Jo’s a tough opponent, he’s served very well in this tournament, he’s one of the best grasscourt players in the world," the Scot told a news conference.
Murray gradually wore down tenacious seventh seed Ferrer in a confrontation lasting nearly four hours after a nail-biting second-set tiebreak in which he fell 5-2 behind and saved a set point at 6-5 down before taking it 8-6.
He clinched the third set with an ace before a short rain interruption with the score 5-5 in the fourth and he won the decisive tiebreak 7-4, sealing victory in three hours 52 minutes with another ace.
The Scot, who sent down 18 aces altogether, said it was tense in the dressing-rooms during the rain interruption.
"At the break I went for a shower and threw some cold water on my face. It was a very intense atmosphere," he said.
"It was a huge match for both of us. Coming off (court) at a critical stage, if I lost that fourth set it was going to be a very tough match."
