| Friday, 4 July 2008 Written by Byron Vale The defending mixed doubles champion, Britain's Jamie Murray, could not repeat the heroics of his dramatic win last year with Jelena Jankovic, after he and South African partner Liezel Huber lost to Bob Bryan and Samantha Stosur in three sets on Centre Court. The American and the Australian pairing won 2-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-4. Things had started so promising for Murray pion and Huber as they took the first set comfortably. They broke Stosur's serve in the third game, seizing upon their one break opportunity. The winning point saw Murray and Huber pull off a series of reaction volleys for Stosur to fluff her comparatively easy shot into the net. Stosur's serve was broken on her next service game as well, as Murray, at the net, twice pulled of reaction intercepts to land winners. Two breaks up, Huber and Murray held serve and wrapped up the first set in 21 minutes. In the second set, Murray's service game was broken early as he twice volleyed difficult shots into the net. With a break, the American/Australian team looked destined to level the match, until the British/American duo broke back with the scores at 5-3. Bryan and Stosur producing poor volleys at clutch moments to gift Murray and Huber two easy points. In the tie-breaker, Bryan and Stosur lifted their game, while their opponents seemed to go backwards, illustrated when Bryan landed three volleys that won points but Murray snatched at two volleys that lost two. The tie-break was clinched by Bryan and Stosur 7-1 and ensured the match went to a third set. Murray and Huber had several opportunities in the deciding set but could not break their opponents: even through they had six break point opportunities across three games, they failed to convert any. In contrast, Bryan and Stosur only had two break point opportunities but they managed to convert one. The crucial game came on Murray's serve with his duo trailing 3-4. Murray, serving to take the game to deuce, double faulted and handed the initiative to Bryan and Stosur. Bryan - who was serving around the 130mph mark - proceeded to close out the match and secure a place in the final. There, he will meet his brother Mike, who won his mixed semi-final with partner Katarina Srebotnik earlier in the day.
| Centre Court - Mixed Doubles - Semifinals | |
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