Murray through to US Open semi-final

 

Originally published on: 09/09/11 21:38

The sun shone at Flushing Meadows today as Andy Murray defeated John Isner 7-5 6-4 3-6 7-6 to reach his fourth Grand Slam semi-final of the season, becoming just the seventh man to do so.

Murray and Isner had faced off only once before – at the 2010 Australian Open – in a match won by the Scot in straight sets, but he faced a much-improved Isner today.

The Scot pulled up a two-sets-to-love lead, but Isner came back strongly in the third set and pushed the match to a fourth after calling the trainer on court at the end of the third set. The fourth was ultimately decided by a tiebreaker – so often a forte of the mammoth-serving American, but one that Murray won for the loss of only two points as Isner tired.

The three hour-24-minute clash was Murray’s longest of his US Open campaign by a mere minute. His second round tie with Robin Haase went to five sets, lasting three hours and 23 minutes.

The Dunblane dangerman has now spent 13 hours and six minutes on court and will be back Saturday for his semi-final against Rafael Nadal, who defeated Andy Roddick on Arthur Ashe court immediately afterwards.

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