Britain's Andy Murray advanced to his first grand slam final by stunning world No.1 Rafael Nadal today in a US Open semi-final, booking a date with reigning champion Roger Federer.
The 21-year-old Scotsman defeated the reigning Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic champion 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 6-4 in a match that began yesterday but was halted by rain in the third set.
That storm pushed the showdown with 12-time grand slam champion Federer to tomorrow, the first time since 1987 that bad weather has postponed the year's last grand slam tournament to an extra day.
Murray became only the third British man to reach a slam final in the 40-year Open era, after Greg Rusedski in the 1997 US Open and John Lloyd at the 1977 Australian Open, and will be the first to win a title if he beats Federer.
"He's probably the greatest player ever," Murray said of Federer. "To get the chance to play against him in a slam final is an honour. I've played well against him in the past. Hopefully I can do the same again."
Murray slept on a 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 2-3 lead but was down a break in the third set with Nadal serving when play resumed at Arthur Ashe Stadium after a delay of about 26 hours from yesterday's stoppage at adjacent Louis Armstrong Stadium.
"I'm very relieved to come back," Murray said. "Obviously tough to sleep on it but I'm very glad I came through in the end."
Nadal held serve three more times to take the third set 27 minutes after the resumption, although he was pushed to a break point by Murray in the last game of the set before blasting three forehand winners to force a fourth set.
The drama grew in the second game of the fourth set when Murray, who saved a break point to hold in the prior game, squandered seven break chances and allowed Nadal to hold when Murray sent a forehand wide and netted a backhand.
Murray's misfires and mistakes allowed Nadal to escape, leaving the Briton 2-for-17 in break chances at that point, and the Spaniard responded by breaking Murray at love for a 2-1 lead thanks to more unforced errors from the Scotsman.
But Nadal handed back the break in the sixth game, netting a forehand drop volley and then firing a forehand long to pull Murray level 3-3.
Nadal fired a forehand wide to give Murray another break chance in the eighth game but Murray pushed a forehand long and Nadal held to level at 4-4.
Murray held and, aided by two favourable net cord bounces, reached match point on Nadal's serve with a forehand volley winner capping an extended rally.
On match point, Nadal tried a drop volley that Murray pounded with a backhand volley past the shocked Spaniard to claim the greatest victory of his career.
