Andy Murray to Face Roger Federer in US Open Final

08 September 2008

0Comments | Comment on this Article

After a pair of thrilling semi-finals the US Open final will be contested by defending champion Roger Federer and first time grand slam finalist Andy Murray.

Murray overcame favourite, world number one and man in form Rafael Nadal, for the first time in his career, to book his place in the final.

And despite facing a 5-0 losing streak to the Spaniard Murray started the better player handing Nadal a tennis lesson, and perhaps getting a little payback for his humiliating defeat at Wimbledon earlier in the year, as he raced to a 2 set to love lead.

But Nadal's never say die attitude seem to ignite at the beginning of the second set as he broke Murray in the opening game before Hurricane Hanna blew into New York City halting all play for the rest of Saturday.

As the match resumed last night it was Nadal who came out all guns blazing taking the third set and showing why this year he really has been the man to beat.

The crowd got behind the French, Wimbledon and Olympic Champion as Flushing Meadows longed to see the rematch between Nadal and Federer that British fans had enjoyed at Wimbledon.

But the man from Majorca couldn't finish Murray off and despite a break of serve against the Scot in the fourth set Murray battled on break back and finally seal the victory in fourth sets.

Murray has reached his first Grand Slam final and will become the first male player since Fred Perry in 1936 to lift a Grand Slam title should he beat defending champion Roger Federer.

But he will have his work cut out if he wants to derail the Fed Express as the former world number one is going for an unprecedented fifth straight US Open title and is looking to salvage something from his disappointing year.

He faced the number three seed Novak Djokovic in the other semi final and produced some of his best tennis as he took the first set in emphatic fashion 6-3 showing some f the form we are so used to seeing from the Swiss player.

But Djokovic, the current Australian Open champion fought back to take the second set 7-5 and it looked as though the tide was turning in favour of the Serb before Federer composed himself to take the next two sets and reach yet another Grand Slam final.

Defeat would have see Federer slip further down the rankings to number three behind Nadal and Djokovic. And this evening Murray can stand on court with more confidence as today he became the world number four.

The women's final which should have been played on Saturday finally got underway last night between Serena Williams and Jelena Jankovic.

Despite the American winning in straight sets to seal her third US Open title she had to fight off a valiant attempt from Jankovic as she played in her first Grand Slam final.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw

0Comments | Be the first to comment!