Wimbledon grass set to get greener

WIMBLEDON, England – The Brits know how to stage a coronation, and they’ll do so today for either regal Roger Federer or one of their own, Andy Murray. Plenty of history will be written in the men’s final at tennis’ most tradition-rich tournament.

Federer can add to his record 16 Grand Slam championships, and he would tie a record by winning Wimbledon for a seventh time. He also would claim the ATP’s top ranking for the first time since June 2010, and match Pete Sampras’ record of 286 weeks at No. 1.

Murray, meanwhile, is merely trying to become the first British man to win a Grand Slam title since Fred Perry took Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships in 1936.

Britain’s abuzz.

Loyalties will be divided. Brits love Federer, the celebrated Swiss whose graceful game is so well suited to the All England Club. He’ll receive sentimental support because he has endured a reign delay, going 2 1/2 years without a major title while being eclipsed by Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Now, at 30, he could become the first thirtysomething man to win Wimbledon since Arthur Ashe in 1975.

Allegiance for Murray is more a matter of geography, and even then it’s complicated. He’s a native of Scotland, where there’s a campaign afoot to break away from Britain. Whenever Murray loses, the English tend to call him Scottish, not British.

But for the moment, when it comes to lawn tennis, the United Kingdom is united.

Brits invented the game and, in 1877, started Wimbledon. They’ve won the men’s title 35 times, more than any other country, but not since before World War II.

And no British woman has won Wimbledon since Virginia Wade in 1977.

Murray has been beaten in the semifinals each of the past three years and has lost every set in his three Grand Slam finals, including against Federer at the 2008 U.S. Open and 2010 Australian Open.

On Friday, the 25-year-old Murray became the first British man to reach the Wimbledon final since Bunny Austin in 1938.

“People have been talking for 10 years that finally he was going to be the one to do it,” three-time Wimbledon champ John McEnroe said. “Some people were starting to wonder, including myself, whether this day would actually come.”

Murray’s used to carrying the weight of a skeptical country’s hopes. Shouts from the stands of “Come on, Andy” have been common for years, and are occasionally heard at matches where Murray’s not even playing.

“There is obviously a lot of pressure and stress around this time of year,” he said.

There will also be pressure on Federer, who’s mindful of his place in history. He’s in the final for the first time since 2009, and can tie the tournament record of seven titles, set in the 1880s by Englishman William Renshaw and tied in 2000 by Sampras.

“I hope I can keep my nerves,” Federer said. “I’m sure I can.”