Heroes Federer, Nadal and Murray rally behind home hope Henry… Searle can be first Brit boys’ Wimbledon winner since 1962
Inspirational Wimbledon winners Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray are behind Henry Searle’s bid to become the first British winner of the boys’ singles in over 60 years on Sunday.
The unseeded Wolverhampton teenager, 17, has been drawing large, loud crowds since he knocked out the world No 1 in the first round. He can expect unprecedented backing when he faces Russian No 5 seed Yaroslav Demin in the final.
The match will be staged on the prestigious No 1 Court, the scene of Searle’s first Wimbledon experience when he saw Federer as a wide-eyed youngster.
Searle recalled: ‘The only time I have been on Court One before was to watch Roger, a few years ago. It was my first time coming to Wimbledon. That was pretty special.
‘Roger and Rafa Nadal were my idols then. Being such a big tennis fan from a young age it was definitely inspiring and exciting to see those guys playing in such big stadiums and now I can play there.’
Henry Searle is bidding to become the first British winner of the boys’ singles in over 60 years
He described Roger Federer (left) and Rafael Nadal (right) as his idols growing up
He knocked out the world No 1 in the first round and has drawn large crowds since at SW19
The 6ft 4ins Wolverhampton Wanderers season ticket holder was not born when Swiss ace Federer won the junior event in 1998 — before his eight men’s singles titles here — but is old enough to recall watching Andy Murray triumph.
Murray won the first of his two titles in 2013, ending a 77-year wait for a British winner after Fred Perry in the Thirties. Searle can be the first home junior winner since Stanley Matthews, son of the legendary England footballer, lifted the trophy in 1962.
Searle added: ‘I remember cheering Andy Murray on TV with my friends at my local Newbridge tennis club. I still play there and many of the same people there that day are here supporting me here this week. It’s pretty cool having that same sort of environment.’
Searle fanatics crammed into a packed Court Four to watch his 7-6 6-3 semi-final win over American No 4 seed William Cooper in a fitting, for a football fan, 90-minute win ‘Most of them are Wolves season ticket holders too, so know how to make a good noise,’ he said.
Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui sent Searle a message of support yesterday. He tweeted: ‘All of us — all the group, all the fans of Wolverhampton — we are very proud of you. We hope that tomorrow you are going to have a big day. I hope that the spirit of the Wolves will be with you tomorrow. All the best.’
Searle recalled watching fellow Brit Andy Murray succeed with friends in a local tennis club
He received a message of support from Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui on Saturday
Searle has been playing since he was two and expressed his gratitude at the free club membership he has been gifted at Newbridge as well as the LTA backing he receives for his history and psychology A Level studies while training at their Loughborough University National Tennis Academy.
Searle is only the 12th British player to reach the boys’ final and can go one better than recent losing finalists Jack Draper five years ago and Liam Broady in 2011. He said: ‘I will follow the same routine I have had all week and won’t really think about the history. Apart from doing my best I can’t control what goes on outside.’
An impressive 129 mph serve has helped him reach the final without dropping a set and he beat Demin in their only previous grand slam meeting, at this year’s French Open.
Also vying for home glory today are Hannah Klugman, 14, and Isabelle Lacy, 17, the first all-British girls’ doubles finalists. They face Czech duo Alena Kovackova and Laura Samsonova for the Wimbledon crown.