Well done, Andy Murray

Unlike many of my friends, I didn't sit up all night watching Andy Murray's match. For him, this was probably a good thing because all the evidence points to me jinxing him when I do. The most recent example was during his Wimbledon semi final this year. The only game I watched live - he lost. Then he won the match when I nipped out to get something for dinner.  I've found that if his matches are on in the background and I don't actually watch them, he doesn't lose so I might have got away with having the radio on. Last night, however, I had such a stinking cold that I was in bed by the end of the first set.

It's fantastic that the boy from Dunblane has won his first Grand Slam. There was a sense of inevitability that this day would come, and I always felt that it would be at the US Open rather than Wimbledon with all its extra pressures, that he would triumph.

Andy Murray has won a lot of friends this year with his emotional display after losing the Wimbledon Final and then winning the Olympic Gold medal on the same court.

Of all the ironies, Murray's win, as Stephen points out, 79 years exactly since Fred Perry won his US Open title in 1933. Perry's win came on one of my Facebook's friend's dad's 3rd birthday. Murray's was his 82nd birthday. Hope you had a good day, Mr S.

Let's hope that his win inspires kids to take up tennis - and for more tennis facilities to become freely available to all children. Tennis clubs can be prohibitively expensive and there don't seem to be any north of Easter Ross in Scotland.

Silverware definitely suits Mr Murray. Let's hope we soon get a chance to see him next to the Wimbledon gold men's trophy so we can see if that's an equally good combination. I don't doubt that we will one day soon.

Wimbledon hits the 21st Century

I love Wimbledon.

There's something mildly therapeutic about the sound of a tennis ball being hit back and forth. And there's nowhere quite so full of tradition and English eccentricity and quaintness than the hallowed lawns of SW19. I've seen Today at Wimbledon right through from the days of Harry Carpenter to its current incarnation from the rooftop which seems designed to torture the poor Americans like Tracy Austin who has a special bottom warmer cos she's so cold up there.

One of the best things about the whole thing is having John McEnroe as commentator. I hated him when he was hurling abuse round the courts like a spoiled brat, but his commentary is vivid, illuminating and often hilarious.

In fact this place is so traditional that outfits remain in old fashioned white - or at least predominantly so. To someone of my vintage, it seems weird to see players in other grand slams playing in brightly coloured sportswear.

It was Chris Evert who first got me into tennis. I loved her cool manner and skilled baseline play. I've never been much of a fan of the serve and volley types. I prefer the intelligence, the cat and mouse game of long, high quality rallies. The quick smash and grab stuff just doesn't do it for me.

Throughout all the Evert/Navratilova finals of the 70s and 80s, I sat on the edge of my seat and watched my hopes disintegrate.

One thing that really used to irritate me was the habit of referring to married women by their husband's initials. During the 1979 tournament, I was shocked to see the newly married Chris Evert referred to as "Mrs J M Lloyd" on the scoreboard. Even then it seemed dated, something that my Granny would write. It's not that long since Wimbledon stopped that nonsense and only a couple of years since they started putting first names and surnames in full on the scoreboard.

I have been pleasantly surprised, therefore, to see the All England club embracing new technology. Their Twitter feed is regularly updated and their iPhone app keeps me up to date with what's going on - and it's free.

It's a small thing, but it amused me last night to see the person behind the Twitter feed using text speak. I'm not complaining - it just seemed strange to see the stiff upper lipped, uber-traditional Wimbledon establishment using language like this:

I do actually hate text speak with a passion. I very rarely, if ever, use it - although I bet some of you will find examples. 4 is a number. It does not signify the word for.  And nite just is not a word.

On the actual tennis, I love Rafa (partly for the Mallorca connection), Federer for being classy and brilliant and Andy Murray, although I wish to goodness he'd shave and get a decent haircut. If I had my way, I reckon it would be a Federer win because I want him to get more titles than Sampras and he's running out of time.

As far as the women are concerned, I'm over the Williams sisters. I'm not as bothered about any of the top flight any more - although I think it would be good if Caroline Wozniacki could actually win a grand slam. I don't think she needs to justify her number one status, but she deserves some glory as well for strong consistent play.

This year's tournament is going by too quickly already.

It's the second week that's my favourite, though - the late evening doubles matches, particularly in the mixed,  as the sun sets, the veterans clowning around, the fabulous atmosphere.

Good Luck Andy Murray!

The Wimbledon mens' semi-final between Andy Murray and Rafa Nadal will be starting any time around now. This is a match I'd rather see on Sunday than today. I really like both of these players. Andy Murray is the best Scottish tennis player ever, and one of the most successful British men. Rafa Nadal is just so cool. He comes from Mallorca which is my second favourite place on the planet so I've followed his career from the early days.

I really want Andy Murray to win through - and the way he's been playing this tournament, I believe he can.

Good luck, Andy - and give us a great match. Four sets will do - not sure I could stand the trauma of a fifth, though!

Will saltire fly from No 10 if Andy Murray makes Wimbledon Final?

Much as I'm pleased to see some of the stuffy protocols regarding flags on government buildings relaxed, I will go through at least 29 different kinds of fury if Andy Murray doesn't get the same treatment as the England team should he, or any other British player, make the Wimbledon Final, or in fact even the latter stages of the tournament.

Now that they've set the precedent, it had better happen for all world class sporting achievers these islands produce.