The Roof over SW19

The expensive ticket to Wimbledon secured by lucky timing on ticketmaster turned out to be well worth the expense. It was a fine sunny afternoon early on, and great fun to tour the grounds for the mandatory Strawberries and Cream and Pimm's. Federer was up first, and while there was some faint optimism for his opponent Soderling (the Swede who upset Nadal in the French Open a few weeks ago), the contest was never in doubt. You could see Federer toying with the guy, and also just how much of a mental game tennis can be, as Soderling was made to crack just at the critical moments. Eyeing the enormity of Federer's talent live, it was hard not to come away with an even more profound respect for what Nadal has accomplished in recent years against this "greatest player of all time." You need to have some kind of super-natural will and self-confidence to stare that guy down to the last and make him blink.

Andy Murray, the Scot from Dunblane and the hope of all Britain, may yet have it too. He put on an immense show later that evening, one that was instantly deemed epic by all the papers and those in attendance. My favourite British sportswriters - Martin Samuel, James Lawton, Simon Barnes - all have great takes on his 3h57min victory against Stanislas Wawrinka, the first played under the new centre court roof, and the latest ever finish at Wimbledon. Hard to imagine a more thrilling, suspenseful game of tennis that seemed to have it all, ending to the delight of the highly partisan crowd with Murray on his knees victorious.

Like Madison Square Garden, there is really not a bad seat at Centre Court. And like professional basketball, tennis is a profoundly more interesting and entertaining spectacle when seen live. Rallies that seem repetitive take on a spell-binding air, as you sit amongst 15,000 others all holding their breath, waiting for the breakthrough. Each serve, each point seems crucial. The silence of such crowds at key moments is so intense and, like in the galleries at the British Open, almost unbelievable, that people in such numbers can be so quiet. And when a shot seems like it might go wide or low or long, you can hear and feel the collective gasp of the fans as one, waiting on the outcome. Just a brilliant way to pass the days.

No doubt the day and night will go down as one of the best of this little trip. Now go on, Murray! Let's see you play your way into the final and really send this nation into a frenzy.