TENNIS US OPEN:SIXTH-SEEDED Briton Andy Murray reached his first grand slam final by upsetting world number one Rafael Nadal 6-2 7-6 4-6 6-4 in last night's rain delayed US Open semi-final at Flushing Meadows.
The Scot outplayed the Spanish left-hander in a semi-final contest that began on Saturday and ended more than 24 hours later after being interrupted by the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna.
Leading by two sets but trailing 2-3 in the third overnight, Murray lost the third set before breaking the Spaniard in the 10th game of the fourth, wrapping up the biggest victory of his career with a backhand winner.
The 21-year-old will play four-times defending champion Roger Federer in todays final, the Swiss maestro having beaten Serb Novak Djokovic on Saturday.
It was obviously an immensely satisfying victory for the Swiss - "huge" he called it - who had lost to the Serb in the Australian Open semi-finals this year, and has now seen Murray add his name to those capable of preventing the former world number one from overtaking Pete Sampras's record of 14 grand slam victories.
Federer has been watching the rise and rise of Murray, knowing that he had the capability to reach out for the sport's four pinnacles: "I'm sure he will be at the top of the game for a long time because I always thought he has an incredible talent. He's a great player."
Federer, an emotional man, was in tears in the locker room at the All England Club after losing that memorable five-set final and Nadal, sensitive to his needs, held back from entering. The two are the greatest of rivals on the court, but have built a friendship based firmly on mutual respect.
This is not the case with Djokovic. There is an edge to his character that can upset both fan and players.
Neither Federer nor Nadal talk to him much, while his repeated assertions that crowds are against him, made both here and in Australia, hint at paranoia.
His father is an obsessive, while Djokovic has always made it quite clear that he expects to be the world number one.
It is an arrogance that niggles other players, though there is no question that he has the ability, and his rivalry with Murray, who has won their last two meetings, should be one of the highlights of next year.
"I know I can improve physically, and have more variety in my game," he said after losing to Federer on Saturday. Djokovic, last year's beaten finalist here, has found the pressure of clinging on to the coat tails of Federer and Nadal too much.
By winning the Australian Open in January, when he defeated Federer in the semi-finals, the young Serb opened up clear water between himself and fourth place, but he has lacked the physical capabilities to extend the challenge.
Murray's qualities as a junior - he won the US Open title here in 2004 - were always transparent. Both Tim Henman, a semi-finalist here in 2004, and Greg Rusedski, the beaten finalist seven years earlier, knew instinctively that here was a great player in the making, and one with a talent far beyond anything either of them possessed.
Both reached number four in the world; Murray, already there at the age of 21, has the ability to seriously challenge for the number one spot.
• Guardian Service
