He must be a Duracell Bunny. Seventy one years on, Bunny Austin remains the last Briton to reach a Wimbledon final. Andy Murray last night shared the fate of many a heavily-backed fancy by falling at the last fence.

He must be a Duracell Bunny. Seventy one years on, Bunny Austin remains the last Briton to reach a Wimbledon final. Andy Murray last night shared the fate of many a heavily-backed fancy by falling at the last fence and joining such as Roger Taylor and Tim Henman in failing to wipe Mr Austin from the record books.

But it was not the burden of history that broke the 22-year-old Scot on a heat-soaked Centre Court. His opponent, Andy Roddick, was simply sensational in reaching the final where he will meet Roger Federer, who stands on the brink of a record 15th grand slam title.

The margin was tight. Roddick won 6-4, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6. But the 26-year-old was rewarded for playing the best tennis of his life and for coming up with a gameplan that disturbed Murray. The American served with his usual venom but he showed a touch, movement and belief that belied his tentative performances so far.

His strategy was effective. Roddick was keen to push Murray back on approach shot and try to come to the net as often as possible. There had to be caution in this approach. A rush to the net can be reckless against a player of the Scot's shotmaking. Roddick, in their last meeting in Doha, had been too aggressive and was smacked for his impudence by Murray. However, Larry Stefanki, his coach, had tempered Roddick's bull-like charges. The plan worked to perfection. Murray had to play accurate passing shots but he could not quite find the spot. Roddick is a big man and he is as difficult to pass as a caravan pulled by a 10-year-old Skoda on a single-track road in Harris.

This inability to pass had a side-effect for Murray. He was warned for a code violation by umpire Pascal Maria for shouting Hit the pass'. Inexplicably, the umpire heard something else.

But this outburst, of course, was irrelevant to the great story of the match. Roddick served furiously, banging in 75% of his first serves at speeds of up to 143mph. He invested, rather than gambled on his sprint to the net. Crucially, he took his chances.

Roddick knew he had to be an underdog who fed on scraps. When breaks were offered he took them, especially in the tie breaks. This was a match decided in frantic moments by millimetres, by margins so narrow they needed Hawk-eye, by decisions so swift they invited calamity.

There is one sobering statistic. Murray and Roddick slogged it out for three hours and seven minutes and over four sets. Roddick won 143 points. Murray took 141.

On such margins are sporting destinies decided. The American marches into his third final at Wimbledon. He has lost his two previous finals and only has a puncher's chance against Federer.

But that was said about the American's meeting with Murray. The Scot, meanwhile, has to regroup. And he will. Nothing galvanises Murray like defeat.

He came back from a thrashing by Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon last year to reach the final of the US Open. He will be seeking redemption at Flushing Meadow.

He was barged out of Wimbledon by the rampaging Roddick. Only the most narrow-minded home fan would begrudge the American his victory. He played to his best, he survived the bear pit, he took his chances.

The tide also seemed to turn against him in the second set. Roddick had taken the first break point offered by Murray and grabbed the first set.

The Scot marched off for a toilet break. He came back with a vigour that suggested he was Popeye after eating a family portion of spinach and finding out that Bluto had nefarious intentions on Olive Oyl. He broke Roddick immediately at the beginning of the second set. But Bluto the bludgeoner prevailed over the match, if not in that set.

The tie, ultimately, was about taking chances. The first set was cagey with both players trying to feel each other out. At 1-1, Murray had a deuce game on his serve but blasted his way out of trouble with two aces. It proceeded amid the roars and the groans to 5-4 with Murray serving. A deep Roddick return forced the first break point and he took it.

The second set was decided early. Murray broke to love and confidently and competently played out the set on his serve.

The Scot seemed to be back in control. This impression was strengthened as Murray immediately had three break points. He could not take one and Roddick celebrated his escape in style. At 2-1 to the American, Murray was under pressure on his serve. He saved three break points with a mixture of genius and the brutality of his serve. A backhand lob over Roddick was bookended by aces. But Murray played long on a fourth break point and Roddick raced to 5-2.

The set seemed over. But Murray rallied. He held his serve, then broke, taking one of three break points on offer. Murray was in the ascendancy but only for a moment. A tie-break was necessary and the Scot squandered his opportunities. He achieved an early mini-break but a simple volley was missed and a backhand slid wide. A set point on Roddick's serve could not be converted. But Murray opened the door with a slack shot. The man from Nebraska barged his way through, winning the tie-break 9-7.

Roddick was now within one set of a meeting with Federer.

The tension was unbearable. There was only one break point in the fourth set. It was on Roddick's serve at 3-4. It slipped agonisingly past the clutches of Murray. There was a sickening inevitability about the fourth set tie-break. Murray saved one match point. He could not save another.

It was over. Until next year.