Zheng Jie: A star in the making?

They should look to Roger Federer who seeks calm and dignity at all times. Murray could do with some of that poise.

Gerry Williams
Quotes of the week

So Andy Murray hit the buffers where most thought he would against the world's second best player, Rafael Nadal, in yesterday's quarter-final.

There are three fundamentals that need to be recorded before anything else is said.

Firstly Murray was still drained from the unforgettable theatre of his previous match. Secondly he has had a very good Wimbledon indeed and Britain can realistically expect him to progress over the next three or four years. He is one of the best young players in the game.

The third fundamental is this: he and his pretty mum should look elsewhere to learn a most valuable lesson. They should look to Roger Federer who seeks calm and dignity at all times. Murray could do with some of that poise.

The final four...almost

Here we are down to the semi-finals. The men's line up tomorrow will be Federer against Marat Safin the big and unpredictable Russian who is a former US and Australian Open champion.

The other semi-final will be Nadal against the winner of the still unfinished quarter-final between Rainer Schuettler and Arnaud Clement - both of them unseeded and locked at one set all.

Do you get the feeling that Wimbledon 2008 has always been shaping towards a Federer v Nadal final and another sisterly affair between the Williams' in the ladies' final?

Funnily enough Venus and Serena's father says he will miss the final if that happens as he cannot stand the emotion of it all.

PR nightmare

Today we need the sun to shine on the ladies last four.

Zheng Jie of China against Serena and Russia's Elena Dementieva against Venus , the defending champion.

I still think the women's game without Kim Clijsters and Justine Henine needs a fresh infusion. Zheng Jie, who is China's very first grand slam single semi-finalist, brings an innocence and neatness to a thriving sport that I sometimes feel is becoming top heavy with image makers and PR. There are too many "guys" (ugh!) all faithfully on message.

Taming the weather

The weather is again bothersome this morning, the same as yesterday.

It was frustrating in the early afternoon when rain sent the players scampering back to the locker rooms and 35,00 spectators looked for any cover they could find for what turned out to be two hours.

I am in awe at the building developments at the All England Club over the last decade or so. There is nothing of its class in the tennis world - Wimbledon is the untouchable ace.

By this time next year, a see-through sliding roof will be over Centre Court and rain can last as long as it wants. It will be a triumph of design and science.

It is just a pity they did not properly community themselves to a roof when the Australian Open pioneered the idea 20 years ago. It could be up an running by now.

Looking to the future

Finally while we British are licking our wounds today, here is a line to lift us up again.

My pal Martin Mulligan, a Wimbledon singles finalists against Rod Laver in 1962 but also known as 'Mr Fila', thinks our junior girl, 14-year-old Laura Robson, is the best girl player he has seen anywhere in the world for years. Wow!

Talking of juniors, I went to see one of out Under 18 boys; partly because Marcus Willis was sent home from the Australian Open in January for what the LTA called 'disciplinary reasons'.

That encouraged me at the time; wayward juniors sometimes have an independent spirit that marks them as worthwhile prospects.

Willis played the Australian top seed Bernard Tomic - it seems that these days nearly all Australian players' names end in 'ic. And to think how the Australians used to rib me when Rusedski became British, that's Aussies for you! I love 'em though!