Andy Murray knocked out of Wimbledon

Andy Murray's Wimbledon dream ended just before 6.45pm today as the sun set on Wimbledon Centre Court. He could find no answer to the huge serve and surprising agility at the net of the American Andy Roddick who won in four sets, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6.

Roddick said afterwards that he felt there was less pressure on him and he was able to "come out swinging". He was fulsome in his praise of the losing 22-year-old Scot. "Let's be honest," he said of Murray. "He's been a far better player than me over the past year. I was just a little bit better today."

Murray had not looked at his best in the first set, but came back strongly in the second. In a third set that was one of the best to watch in the tournament so far Murray clawed back from 5-2 down only to lose in a nail-biting tie-breaker that went to 9-7.

The fourth set went to a tie-breaker too, but Roddick won this one more easily, 7-5.

BBC commentators were surprised to see Roddick serve and volley as much as he did and show a defter touch than expected at the net. But it was the relentless quality of his big serve that finished off Murray.

Roddick meets Roger Federer in the final on Sunday. The Swiss maestro came through his semi-final against the German Tommy Haas with ease in three straight sets and looks on course to win a sixth Wimbledon and overtake Pete Sampras to take a record-breaking 15th Grand Slam title.

Meanwhile Andy Murray - and British tennis fans - will have to wait another year for a chance in the final. "He'll win here one day," said Tim Henman.