Andy Murray enters Australian Open final
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World No. 5 British Andy Murray on Friday sailed into the Australian Open final by defeating Spanish David Ferrer 4-6 7-6 6-1 7-6.
![Andy Murray of Britain returns to David Ferrer of Spain during the men's singles semifinal at the 2011 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 28, 2011. Andy Murray won 3-1 to enter the final. [Xinhua]](http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1007/20110129/0014222d98500eadff8202.jpg "Andy Murray of Britain returns to David Ferrer of Spain during the men's singles semifinal at the 2011 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 28, 2011. Andy Murray won 3-1 to enter the final. [Xinhua]") |
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Andy Murray of Britain returns to David Ferrer of Spain during the men's singles semifinal at the 2011 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 28, 2011. Andy Murray won 3-1 to enter the final. [Xinhua] |
Murray ends the World No. 7 Ferrer's bid to reach his first Grand Slam final in his 33rd appearance at a major in three hours and 46 minutes.
There have been a lot of twists and turns throughout the breathtaking match. Ferrer managed to win the first set 6-4 in 45 minutes, and Murray was in serious trouble in the beginning of the second set, until he started picking up a more aggressive strategy and claimed his points back to recover to win 7-6.
At the start of the third set, both players had relatively easy holds before Murray suddenly came to life and broke Ferrer to lead the set and, for the first time, assumed control of the match. A stunning lob on the run saw Murray break for a 3-1 lead, then 4-1, then 5-1. The Spaniard put Murray through five break points as he teetered on the edge of breaking back, but Murray batted them off to convert his third set point after 42 minutes.
The fourth set proved as close and dramatic as the second, with Murray looking tired and started running slower than he did in the start of the game. However, he summoned the energy to force a tie- break, which he won comprehensively 7-2.
Murray fired an incredible 60 winners, although he has also hit 63 unforced errors, while Ferrer has a more even rhyme hitting 34 winners and unforced errors each throughout the semi final.
"He [David Ferrer] is an unbelievable athlete, competitive, and he worked so hard. Obviously I managed to get through in the end but it was hard work," Murray told reporters in Melbourne after the game on Friday. "There is a lot of running tonight, pretty physical match."
After the game, the British admitted that he has lost track on the score in the second set for the first time in such a big match, as he has been a bit nervous.
"And I actually thought it was 4-3 [when 5-4 down in the second set]. It happens occasionally [that you lose track of the score] and it probably helped me this time. I was wrapped up, not thinking too much," he said.
This is Murray's third time to reach a Grand Slam final, and he is now battling to win his first Grand Slam title on Sunday.
Murray will next face No. 3 Novak Djokovic of Serbia on Sunday. Djokovic, who won the 2008 Australian Open, has beaten defending champion Roger Federer on Thursday's semi final.
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