Andy Murray becomes first British man in Wimbledon final since 1938

Andy Murray will play Roger Federer in the men's single's final at Wimbledon , the first British man to reach the milestone since Bunny Austin in 1938, reward for a performance of verve, aggression and, ultimately, commanding athleticism in defeating the Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 on Centre Court, the Guardian reports.

To date Murray's progress to his third Grand Slam final has been quietly compelling, opponents dispatched with the purring approval rather than the cajoling participation of that giddy late afternoon Wimbledon crowd.

But Murray made history here, his achievement greeted with a rousing ovation of genuine sporting affection - emphasising not just the bewildering post-Austin void in British men's tennis , but also just how success-starved this nation of sportphiles has become. If ever there were a time to give in to a little pre-match mania, this is probably it.

Facing Murray in Sunday's final will be arguably the greatest tennis player of all time, Roger Federer, the enduringly imperious Swiss who holds 16 Grand Slam titles to Murray's zero.

Murray has never beaten Federer in a Grand Slam, but has had success in lesser tournaments. There is no great love lost between the two players. It already looks like a brilliantly absorbing prospect.

For now, though, Murray might be allowed to luxuriate a little in his achievement in simply getting there, as he did at the end here, falling backwards into his chair and looking utterly spent after spending a few moments just staring at the skies above Centre Court.

It was for once a blue sky: before play there had been the peculiar sight of the Wimbledon roof scrolling open to reveal a mysterious warming yellow glow that turned out to be sunlight.

And there was a pleasantly temperate feel to the opening exchanges as Murray emerged to the familiar minor chord Centre Court welcome, the arena half-empty. The royal box was almost totally depopulated, a reminder that Wimbledon remains for many here simply a glorious summer beano, a carnival of imbibing hobnobbery that will, for the first time in the modern era, dwindle to a single point of deadly serious domestic sporting interest on Sunday afternoon.

Murray was briskly businesslike in the early games, moving Tsonga around the court in search of those intricate angles and settling in for a contest of un-buttoned athleticism.

After the grind against David Ferrer in the last round, this was a contest of frolicking physicality that saw both men at times airborne at the net, prostrate on the baseline and pounding the ball from the back of the court with rippling abandon.

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