ANDY Murray will face Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals of the US Open tomorrow. Here we look back at the previous five clashes between the pair.
• Australian Open (last 16) 22 January, 2007 Nadal beats Murray 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
An epic battle. Murray claimed the first set on a tie-breaker thanks to a couple of over-rules from Hawk-Eye. He raced into a 4-1 lead in the second
set, but Nadal reeled off five games on the spin thanks in part to some poor serving from Murray.
The roles were reversed when Murray rallied from 3-1 down to take the third set 6-4, but Nadal stormed through the final two sets, giving rise to questions about the Scot's fitness.
• Madrid Masters (last 16) 19 October 2007 Nadal beats Murray 7-6 (7/5), 6-4
Nadal beat Murray in straight sets in his native Spain, but he was made to battle all the way by the Scot.
Murray was on top throughout the first set thanks to his first-serve dominance, but surrendered a break to give Nadal a 6-5 lead.
The Scot broke back, but Nadal took the tie-breaker and, though Murray led a topsy-turvy second set 4-2, the Spaniard eventually sealed victory in the match courtesy of three breaks of serve.
• Hamburg Masters (last 16) 15 May 2008 Nadal beats Murray 6-3, 6-2
Nadal was supposedly struggling heading into the contest, having complained of fatigue and blisters, but in the end he blew Murray off the court.
Murray handed him a break early on in the first set which Nadal never looked like relinquishing.
The Spaniard then broke three times in the second set, leading Murray afterwards to brand his forehand the best in the game.
• Wimbledon quarter-final 3 July, 2008 Nadal beats Murray 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
The Scot was making his first appearance in the last eight of a grand slam but looked jaded from his epic comeback against Richard Gasquet in the last 16.
However, there was no doubting his opponent's brilliance as the Spaniard wrapped up victory to reach the semi-finals. Murray had boasted about his fitness and physique throughout the championships but there was only one muscle man on Centre Court as Nadal pounded him into submission.
Murray never got to grips with Nadal's serve or forehand, and never looked like creating a break point, while the Spaniard punished Murray's inconsistent service display.
• Toronto semi-finals 27 July 2008 Nadal beats Murray 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
The most recent encounter went the way of the soon-to-be world No 1. A high-quality first set culminated in a tie-break which comfortably went Nadal's way. He then took a 3-1 lead in the second set and though Murray battled back to level it, Nadal pulled clear on his way to a final meeting with Nicolas Kiefer.
The full article contains 525 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
