Andy Murray produced a vintage 2 set performance before defending Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal was forced to retire hurt with a right-knee injury in the third set of their quarter final match.

Murray led 6-3 7-6(7-2) 3-0 when Nadal called time on the match – The Spaniard had not shown any sign of injury during the first two sets as he and Murray produced two of the best sets of tennis of the 2010 Australian Open.

In each of the completed sets Murray was forced to break back after the Spaniard took early command in each set. In the first set Nadal broke to lead to 2-1 before Murray broke back with unbelievable lob and then powered on to break again and lead 5-2. Murray held serve to win it 6-3 on his third set point.

The second set was a disjointed affair with score on serve with Nadal leading 3-2, a scheduled Australia day fireworks display caused a 10-minute halt to the match, on return Murray looked to have lost focus with Nadal breaking on their return to lead 4-2. Murray though would break back immediately to level the set again. Murray was a couple of points away from losing the set, but it was the Scot who had the best chances to secure a second break, with 4 break points with score level at 5-5.

Murray failed to convert those points and the set went to a tie break – a faultless tiebreak performance would see the Scot win 7-3 and take a two sets to love lead.

Even though the duo did not complete the match it was Murray’s longest match of the tournament so far (almost 3 hours) giving you insight as to how competitive the match was. Only after Nadal called for the trainer during the second game of the third set did the watching audience have a clue that Rafa’s long standing knee injury may be recurring.

Murray will now face Marin Cilic who beat Andy roddick in a 5 set epic earlier in the day. After the match Murray once again spoke to Jim Courier on court,

I’ve known Rafa since I was 13 or 14 and he is someone I always looked up to when I came up through the juniors, he is my favourite player to watch with his energy and I am a bit gutted for him. I had to come through a few tough moments at the start of the match when I was going for it a bit too much but I played really well.

I had to go for my shots and play big tennis and when the big points come you have got to try to keep them short. You do not want to play long points against Rafa – I served and volley a little bit and everything went well.

The news that Wimbledon, the BBC and tennis fans arround the world had been hoping wasn’t going to occur – has happened. Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the 2009 Wimbledon Championships due a knee injury.

World number one Rafael Nadal Will be the first champion not to defend his SW19 crown since Croatia’s Goran Ivanisevic skipped the event in 2002 and if Roger Federer goes on to win the event, Nadal will lose his number 1 spot, something that 3 months a go looked nearly impossible.

Nadal has been struggling with tendinitis and has had problems with his movement during an exhibition matches he has played in London this week – on Thursday he lost 6-4 6-3 loss to Lleyton Hewitt and today he lost 4-6 7-6 10-3(championship tiebreak) to Stanislas Wawrinka at the Hurlingham Club.

Nadal told a packed press conference,

I’m here and I’m just not 100%. I’m better than what I was a couple of weeks ago but I don’t feel right - To not play Wimbledon is one of the toughest decisions of my career.

I tried everything. I didn’t feel terrible but also not close to my best. When I enter a tournament my goal is winning and my feeling right now is I’m not ready to win. It’s very painful for me but I can’t play at the tournament this year. It’s tough but it is what it is.

I played with some problems on the knee for the last few months. I’ve been making efforts to play week after week. The truth is that sportsmen always play with pain and don’t know where the limit is, where you can get to. I think I reached that limit now. I will work very hard to comeback as soon as possible. One of the problems is I’m thinking more about the knees than what is happening on court and it’s very difficult to play like that.

After Nadal’s shock defeat in the French Open to Robin Soderling he admitted to the press that he had knee problems (something that was widely known, but kept very quite in the Nadal Camp), he has since received treatment on his knees in Barcelona. He was diagnosed with tendinitis in both quadriceps tendons as well as a small amount of fluid on the kneecaps.

Nadal’s withdrawal leave a large gap in the Wimbledon 2009 Mens Singles Darw

Clay court Legend Rafael Nadal needed to produce his best tennis to beat Murray in the Scot’s first ever clay court semi final. The Spaniard brought an end to the Scot’s best ever week on the red stuff with a straight-sets victory 6-2 7-6 (7-4) at the Monte Carlo Masters.

Nadal, winner of the last four Monte Carlo titles and not dropped a set since 2006 in the event was up against the Scot for the second time on clay. Most thought Murray would lose easily and that’s the way match seemed to be heading with Nadal taking the first comfortably and moving a break ahead in the second.

With Nadal serving for the match at 5-3, Murray finally showed a glimmer of hope that someone else on tour could match Nadal on clay, breaking back and forcing the set into a tie break.

Murray did well to stay with Nadal in the tie break hitting back after twice being mini-break down, and with Murray serving at 4-5, the most crucial point between the two was played. Murray did enough that would have beat every other player on tour but Nadal and somehow the Spaniard managed to win the point.

Nadal will now play Novak Djokovic in the final after the Serbinator beat Stan Wawrinka 4-6 6-1 6-3. A defeat by Wawrinka would have seen Djokovic slip a place in the rankings and Murray become the world number three, that however will now have to wait.

Djokovic and Murray though will both close the gap on Roger Federer, with Federer dropping points this week and both Murray and Djokovic gaining.

Andy Murray, the young man from a wee town in Scotland claimed his placed in tennis history today, stunning the world number 1, Rafael Nadal in their US Open semi Final to reach his first grand slam final.

The match resumed after a rain delay yesterday with Murray 2 sets up, Nadal secured the third set before Murray fought back from a break of serve down in the fourth set to claim his famous victory 6-2 7-6(7-5) 4-6 6-4.

Andy Murray entered the match having lost every match he has ever played against Rafael Nadal; in their 5 previous encounters he had only won a set in their first encounter back at the Australian open in 2007. Only 2 months ago on the centre court of Wimbledon, Nadal had convincingly brushed aside Andy Murray in straight sets. Nadal went onto win Wimbledon and then claim Olympic Gold in Beijing, but none of that matter today – Murray was simply better than Nadal today and the Spaniard can have no excuses for his loss.

Andy Murray will now face Roger Federer in the final on Monday at 5pm (10pm UK time) for the chance to become US Open Champion and the first Britton to win a grand slam men’s title since Fred Perry 77 years ago.

After the most amazing performance yesterday from Andy Murray, some doubted that Murray could keep up the form and the rain delay would allow Nadal enough time to regroup and hit back at Murray. With Nadal up a break leading 3-2 in the third, the match began with the Spaniard serving. The opening games all went with serve, with Murray looking still as formidable on his own serve, though slightly less menacing on return as he did yesterday.

Murray raised his game with Nadal serving for the set at 5-4 and produced the first break point of the afternoon, Nadal though is number 1 in the world and fires down an ace to save the point and goes on to win the next two points and win the third set.

Nadal’s only break point and break of serve came in the opening game of the third set and when Murray went 0-30 down in the opening game of the fourth set the signs were looking ominous. Murray was able to rally himself though and levelled up at 30-30 before giving Nadal a huge chance with double fault. Just as Nadal had done in the previous game, Murray saves the break point with and ace and then served out the game for an important hold.

The next 10 minutes in the match produced some of the best tennis you will ever see, Murray raced into a 15-40 lead, but Nadal’s serve was firing and he saved first with a big serve and forehand combo and then the next with ace. Murray remained focused though and brings up another break point with an unstoppable backhand pass down the line, the break point come and goes though as Murray nets a regulation backhand and we are back to deuce.

A familiar pattern emerges with Murray playing blistering tennis on the deuce point to rack up more break points, before tensing up and making the error on the break point opportunity, another 3 break points come and go and this game look like it may determine the match. Murray gains yet another break point, number 7 in this game if you lost count and Nadal not for the first saves with an ace. Nadal would finally hold the game, which could have proved a brutal blow for Murray.

What usually happened in situations like this is the player who fails to convert numerous break chances is immediately broken themselves on their next service game. That’s what happened to Murray, with his composure seemingly gone, four unforced errors from Murray allows Nadal to break serve to love and this match was heading for 5 sets.

The set was threatening to run away from Murray, as Nadal consolidated the break by holding his serve and Murray 0-30 down on his next service game. On reflection of this match the next four points may indeed have been the point when Murray won this match, it would have been easy for Murray to give up on this set at this point, but he never. He served out the game winning the next 3 points to secure his service game.

Murray’s uncanny ability to make players play one more shot than they need to serves him well in the next game, with Nadal serving the score makes its way to deuce, with Nadal in control of rally he sends Murray one way and then fires ball cross court in opposite direction with a shot that no one could return, no one except Murray that is, he can’t get much on it, but it’s enough to make Nadal player another shot, which the Spaniard mishits into the net, bringing up Murray’s 18th break point – He’s failed to convert the last 15 thought – Lucky 16 for Andy Murray as Nadal goes long with a forehand and Murray breaks back.

So much of a tennis match is played in the minds of each player, from only dropping his serve to love a dew games before, Murray holds his next service game to love taking his first lead in the fourth set at 4-3 and the score moves onto 5-4, with Murray just one game away from winning.

After to quite fortunate net cords Murray finds himself 30-30 and only two points from victory, A big serve from Nadal another point for Murray after another long rally sees the score move onto deuce. After three and half hours of scintillating tennis Murray secures his first match point after one of the matches best rallies Murray finishing the point of by taking the initiative and moving into net and punching away a volley.

Nadal looked like a beaten man and on match point makes a crucial mistake and brings Murray into net with poor drop shot, the Scot chases it down and sends a backhand pass around the stranded world number one. Game Set and Match Andy Murray.

After the match Murray met American funnyman Will Ferrell who congradulated the Scot on his win and in a rare glimse of Murray letting loose he joked with Hollywood star and even tried to blag a free DVD. When he eventually got round to speaking to waiting reporters Murray said, 

It’s awesome to beat him, a great feeling, He’s beaten me five times in a row, so that was tough, and to do it in a semi meant it was really difficult. With the rain delay yesterday, and it was windy today, there were a lot of different things, but I’m happy I came through in the end. It was really tough to serve from the near end, it was very windy, so I knew I was going to have chances to break and I just had to hang in.

The BIG 3 has just become the BIG 4!

Andy Murray is just 1 set away from his first grand slam final and causing the biggest upset at this year’s event. He leads Rafael Nadal 6-2 7-6(7-5) 2-3 before the expected rain finally began to fell. The match will not resume tonight and it will be played on the Arthur Ashe Stadium at 4pm (9pm UK Time) on Sunday with the final then on Monday.

The Scot has so far produced some of his best ever tennis in the opening sets, though has giving the world number 1, Rafael Nadal a lifelong dropping his serve in the opening game of third set. So dominant has Murray been that the break Nadal secured was the Spaniards first break points of the entire match.

Nadal may hold a perfect record over Murray, but that 5 match winning streak is in serious doubt and Murray only needs one more set to beat Nadal for the first time.

Murray started the match with the clear intent on being positive from the outset; he looked far more aggressive than we usually see from him. On his own serve he was serve-volleying which sees him win his first service game comfortably.

Murray was dominating the opening games and he would ensure he would turn dominance into games, he secured his first break points in only Nadal’s second service and when Nadal sends a forehand long Murray secures the first break of serve.

Andy Murray’s first and second serve were working well and Nadal seemed unable to deal with Murray when he came into net of his 1st serve or the height that Murray was generating on his second serve. Murray capitalised on his lead and secured a second break with a great pass down the line after drawing Nadal into the net.

Murray served out the set with Nadal still unable to make any impression on his serve – 3 aces and only three dropped points on the Scot’s serve in all of the first set.

That first set of tennis from Murray was perhaps the finest played by British player in the last 20 years when you consider the occasion and the man he is playing.

Murray would not relent in the second and he continued to challenge Nadal on every one of the Spaniards service games. He forced his first break points in the third game after again holding his own serve easily. On this occasion Murray could not convert any of his 3 break point chances and Nadal managed to keep his serve.

Game 5 brings more 2 more break point chances for Murray, but again the Spaniard manages to wriggle out of the game with his serve intact. Both Players looked nervous during this game, perhaps realising the significance of what a break of serve would mean at that point.

Murray was not letting these missed opportunities get to him and he continued to give Nadal no insight on his serve holding to love or 15 in his first 5 service games of the second set.

With the score at 5-5 and a tie break looming, Murray for third game in this set forces more break points and once again Nadal proves why he is world number 1 saving them once again. With 7 break points squandered and barely given Nadal a sniff on Murray’s serve, it would be an injustice for the Scot to lose this set, but so often the best players are the ones who punish wasted opportunities. In his final service game Murray looked like he may just be about to punished, Nadal took a 15-30 lead with two bad unforced forehand errors. Murray though was not about to give this set up though and Murray serves down another ace followed by another serve and volley winner. A final service winner takes the set into a tie break.

As Murray showed against Del Potro, he knows how to win a tie break. Murray would take the first advantage winning the opening point on Nadal’s serve an exchange of mini breaks would see the Scot move 3-1 but is pegged back to 3-3 at the changeover. Three consecutive holds of serves sees Nadal go 5-4 up. Murray would need to hold his next two service point to remain in touch with Nadal. It was heart in mouth time as a service return from the Spaniard hits the top of the net cord and rolls along the top of the net before falling on Nadal’s side. Murray then finds a big serve to lead 6-5 and bring up the first set point of the match. Nadal goes wide with a backhand after a nervy rally and Murray goes two sets up.

The standard that Murray had shown in the first two sets could not last and one lapse in concentration from Murray sees him play his worse service game of the match and allows Nadal the chance to get back into the match. A forehand error from Murray sees Nadal secure the break.

4 more games would be played with no more breaks before the rain stopped played. Exactly who this rain break benefits more is not that obvious, Murray was playing the tennis of his life and stopping now may give Nadal the time gather himself, though dropping serve at the start of the third set did give Nadal some momentum and a rain delay could give Murray the chance to refocus.

Whatever happens in this match Murray holds the upper hand and the bookmakers agree. Before the match began Nadal was odds on favourite to win the match and title – Now Murray is odds on favourite to win this match and Roger Federer odds on favourite to win the US Open Title.

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