Graphic: Murray v Roddick

So near and yet so far. Andy Murray became the latest British player to fall at the final hurdle in the quest to end the nation’s Wimbledon jinx that has now stretched to 71 years.

The Scot was pounded to defeat, 6-4, 6-7, 7-5, 7-6, by a ruthless and determined Andy Roddick, who refused to be intimidated by a noisy, partisan crowd and will face Roger Federer in the final tomorrow.

The 15,000 souls in the sizzling cauldron of the sun-drenched Centre Court yesterday were trying to use their collective willpower to drive Murray to victory and an historic place as the first British man since 1938 to play in a Wimbledon singles final.

They chanted his name and leapt frenziedly out of their seats as their belief suddenly started to slip away with every Roddick serve that whistled past Murray’s ear like a tracer bullet.

This was nerve-jangling stuff, straight from the Tim Henman catalogue of near-misses. But Murray refused to accept that his Wimbledon story was over, vowing to come back stronger next year. “It’s been a very good tournament for me,” he said.

“I had some very good matches and played some good tennis and dealt with everything that was put in front of me. I will move on very quickly, go and work on my game, improve and come back stronger. I am very close to the top of the game.

“The crowd were excellent the whole tournament. Hopefully, I will have the same support next year.”

At 22, Murray has plenty of time to convert this result into the title. Henman, four times a beaten semi-finalist here, also refused to accept that the Murray bandwagon had halted.

“In what Andy Murray has done in the past 12 months, we know he is going to get better and better, and it doesn’t alter my view that he will win here,” Henman said.

If only someone had told Roddick, who strode around Centre Court with a gunslinger’s swagger. Murray pumped his fist and Judy, his mother, joined him with her own clenched fists. Kim Sears, Murray’s girlfriend, could only look on with a mixture of despair and fear that the dream was about to be shattered.

But neither she nor the crowd had reckoned on the will and determination of Roddick, as he blasted his way through a match few thought he could win. A nation dared to believe that it was Murray’s destiny to go to his first Wimbledon final. It became increasingly desperate stuff, with Murray even entering an angry exchange with Pascal Maria, the French umpire, who warned him for offensive language. A clearly furious Murray insisted that he had not sworn after yet another crucial point was dropped.

“What do you think I said?” Murray queried. When Maria replied, Murray challenged: “I said, ‘Come on, pass.’ You are 100 per cent wrong.” Whether the umpire was wrong or not, it mattered less and less as it became clear Murray was hanging on to this match for dear life. It should all have been so different: Murray seemed to be sailing through Wimbledon.

In spite of his brave post-match words, the disappointment will be massive and Team Murray — his five coaches and advisers — were rallying around their man last night to remind him that there are other tournaments to come and new victories to be won.

Murray’s departure leaves Roddick to face Federer in what should be a thrilling final. Federer has been dominant in their 20 previous meetings, but that was before the new, improved Roddick turned up at Wimbledon.

What a match that could be.

The disappointment for the Murray family was doubled last night when Jamie, Andy’s brother, was beaten in the mixed doubles semi-finals with Liezel Huber, his American partner. They lost 6-2, 7-5 to Mark Knowles, of Bahamas, and Anna-Lena Grönefeld, of Germany.