Anyone for tennis!

Poor old Andy Murray!

With the weight of the nation's expectations on his shoulders, he just couldn't do it. Maybe next time.

It was a valiant effort, of course, against a seasoned professional out for a record win who had nothing to lose. Federer is professionalism personified, from the follicles on his head down to his toenails, and in the end it was he who held his nerve under pressure and triumphed.

But it is Andy's touching conduct when interviewed courtside by Sue Barker for the BBC  just after his defeat which will endear him to the British public far more than his conduct on the court no matter how successful he is. For the first time, we saw the man underneath the mask and he is a much nicer chap than any of us could have guessed. He has always been a rather unsympathetic character in front of the media, appearing stilted, uncommunicative and unfriendly. Yesterday, we saw a softer side which is much more attractive.

Us Brits do love a valiant loser - look at Dunkirk and the numerous military defeats which we celebrate as though they were victories. Perhaps that's why we don't appear to have that killer instinct to take us to the top in so many sports and circumstances; we think there is no shame in not winning as long as you have done your best. Foreigners don't understand that; they think the only place to be is the top spot and if you don't achieve it, you should go away and lick your wounds ready to try another day. And to a certain extent I agree.

But there is nothing like adopting an underdog to cheer on, and Andy certainly was the underdog yesterday. God knows we need something to cheer about at the moment. The fact that he took the first set gave us vicarious hope that for once this might be our year, what with it being Diamond Jubilee and all that, but it wasn't to be. Even Kate shipped up to watch for the second time, freeloading sister alongside. Never mind, there's always 2013 which is the real diamond jubilee, since old Liz wasn't actually crowned Queen until summer 1953.

Andy Murray should be proud of what he achieved yesterday and take a lesson from his emotions afterwards that what will make the public love him more is to appear, well, just more human. No one loves a robot or an automaton; they are cold emotionless things which give nothing but take everything. If he gives a little more to the crowds that turn out to support him and whom he obviously appreciates, then they will give even more back to him.