Murray responded to this setback as he has all tournament, chasing down a slightly-too-deep Federer dropshot and hitting a trademark cross-court passing shot to bring up two break points. One was enough, with another cross court pass getting the Scot onto the scoreboard and eliciting a roared “CUMMONN!”

After holding serve for the first time to take the set to 2-2, Murray brought up two more breakpoints on Federers serve. He was unable to convert the first, before the Federer serve clicked into gear and the Swiss evaded the danger.

The pair exchanged service holds until 4-3, when a Murray double fault and unforced error opened the door for a break. The world number one saw the chance and smashed the door open with a murderous down the line backhand and  unplayable forehand winner.  Murray was unable to respond as he did earlier in the set and Federer served out the set.

The second set was one way traffic. Federer was now in imperious form and every service game was a struggle for the Scot. A barrage of forehand and backhand winners gave Federer the decisive break of the set at 1-1. More breakpoints came and went for Federer at 3-1 and 4-2, but despite salvaging holds in both cases, Murray was unable to exert any pressure on the Federer serve.

The third set was the closest of the match. Murray was now going for his shots, and his first serve had begun to splutter into life. A breakpoint for the Scot came and went at 1-0 before a scrambled volley and pass at 3-2 put Murray in front for the first time in the match.

Murray had the opportunity to serve for the set at 5-3, but a combination of Murray errors and sublime hitting from Federer saw the chance slip from his hands. Both players held to force the tiebreak.

Murray served first, banging in an ace before forcing an error from the Federer serve to bring up the first minibreak. A horrible miss-hit backhand at 3-1 saw the advantage evaporate. A scorching Murray forehand at 4-3, followed by and ace and an absurd cross-court passing shot took the score to 6-4 and two set points for Murray. Federer saved the first with a staggering angled forehand before Murray slapped a tame forehand into the net with the whole court open. A total of five set points came and went, but Murray was unable to execute when he really needed to and a final tame backhand into the net saw Federer win yet another Slam.

This was a far better performance than the USO '08 final, but again Murray came up against the undisputed greatest player in history in full pomp. The deciding factor was probably the Murray first serve, which was missing at crucial junctures.

So the wait for a British Slam winner continues, and the question on everyones lips is: when is Federer going to retire?

Murray Tears Up After Loss To Federer

Federer Opens 2010 With 4th Aussie Title

Federer Captures 16th Grand Slam Title - ESPN Video - ESPN

Who Has the Edge, Federer or Murray?

Like so often is the case in tennis, one moment of magic can turn a match on its head. With Cilic ready to pounce at the net and Murray retreating for a lost cause with his back to the court, Murray produced a moment of inspiration. The 22 year old swivelled to face the court, well behind the baseline and dug out a forehand passing winner. The crowd leapt up in a state of jubilation and Cilic stood incredulous with a resigned look cast on his face. With this came a crucial break for Murray as the tables began to turn with Murray 3-2 up.

Cilic was now serving at 4-2 down and his drop in form and spirit was showing. Murray had found another gear and was unlucky to have lost a staggering four break points in one game. The 2008 US Open finalist held his nerve to serve out the set and it was a gutsy recovery after a limp first set by Murray. The defence, athleticism and touch had all improved from Murray and Cilic was left dumbfounded and wondering how he could win 2 more sets.

In this unpredictable fight, both men broke each other’s serves to leave Cilic serving at 2-2. Cilic was trying to orchestrate play with his formidable forehand, whilst Murray was running down every ball and exhibiting feather like touch and graceful volleys. At 3-3 with Cilic serving at break point, it looked like the Croat had momentarily left his brains in his hometown of Zagreb as he hit the net with an ill judged drop shot from a ridiculous position behind the baseline.

Murray was in no mood to let an advantage slip agonisingly through his fingers again and began to play at a higher level. He began switching defence to attack at the right time, heightening the tempo and hitting the ball flatter, adding a lot more variety to his arsenal. His opposite number began to look down and out as Murray dominated from this point and took the third set 6-4 to lead for the first time in the semi-final.

On his own serve, Murray was hitting flat and finding winners on every point of the court. He had rendered Cilic utterly clueless. A double fault gave Murray a break to lead 2-1 before Murray served out, ending the game with a gorgeous badminton style flick as Cilic tried to up the pace. The ball dropped delicately over the net with Cilic looking fatigued at the other side of the net after playing 3 five setters before this match. The Croatian number 1 was done and dusted by this point with Murray serving for the match at 5-2 up.

Cilic regained a bit of fight at this point and began playing to his strengths, bludgeoning the ball hitting hard and flat. Murray raced down an almighty hit from Cilic and clipped the ball around the post for a breathtaking winner. As the Margaret Court Arena roared him on after, Murray merely strolled into the position with the look of a man who doesn’t need to celebrate to acknowledge his undeniable skill.

At match point, Cilic weakly looped a Murray serve long in a point which symbolised the last few hours of the match.

Murray is deservedly into the final and will be glad of a good test under his belt before he meets Roger Federer or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Sunday’s final. As Murray celebrated, a banner was waving in the crowd saying "Great Scot." The banner told the whole story.

Murray Advances to the Aussie Open Finals - ESPN Video - ESPN

Andy Murray Amazing Shot Australian Open Semifinal 2010

Andy Murray Only Thinking About Winning Final

The pendulum began to swing in favour of Nadal in the second set, as he glimpsed break points on his rival’s serve and relinquished just one solitary point whilst his first 3 service games. The colourful fireworks celebrating Australia day may have still been ringing in Murray’s ears after a pause in play. Nadal’s dominance told as he went 4-2 up and broke. Murray pushed a volley into the net to give Nadal the break, which was ironic as Murray’s volleying has been superb prior to this.  Particularly on the backhand side, Murray’s crosscourt hitting had Nadal flustered regularly. The Spaniard succumbed again when he found himself in no man’s land, pinned in a corner on a Murray break point. Nadal could only struggle and hit the ball to the net which handed Murray a break back to make it 4-3.

The world number 5 had put the post-fireworks mishaps behind him and held to love to confirm his break. Murray continued his stubborn nature and dug his heels into the grey-blue Melbourne court, seeing 4 break points on Nadal’s serve but to no avail. Nadal was in no mood to bow down and hit a blistering forehand down the line for a winner to make it 6-5. His opponent then held to take the set to the mouthwathering tie-break. For arguably the first time in the match, Nadal’s mind went elsewhere. The six time Grand Slam champion found himself 3-1 down before an onslaught of approach shots and overhead winners brought Murray a commanding 6-1 advantage. The fifth seed showed off his new serve and volley prowess to easily take the breaker 7-2.

By this time, Nadal looked out of sorts as Murray held to love with minimum fuss. Nadal’s troublesome knee problems forced an injury time out as the trainer massaged the tip of his right knee. The face of Nadal cut a picture of a deflated man and there were a dulling sense of inevitability over what was to come. Murray of course broke and held to go 3-0 up, with Nadal pulling up awkwardly numerous times as his knee began to buckle dangerously. In a truly gutting scene for everyone watching, a disheartened Nadal trudged to the net to admit defeat and shake hands with his companion and opponent.

Murray looked calm under pressure in the first two sets and stood toe to toe with the former world number 1. The gangly Brit had struggled against tonight’s adversary many times before but his critics’ lips will be pursed shut now. The huge Croat Marin Cilic will ask different questions in the semi-final on Thursday, but Murray’s dominance over the similarly gigantic John Isner will be advantageous in his preparations.

Murray vs Nadal - Match Highlights

Every Grand Slam is special and every Grand Slam is important to win. For Andy, I think he deserves to win his first Grand Slam, and he gonna do it.

Andy played really well I think. I think he's at unbelievable level, no? I think my level was very high today, too. I had big chances. I had big chances to win both sets. And I think against probably the player who is playing better right now, I was very close.

I think he played more aggressive than what he did the last matches. He did really well. He was serving really well in important moments. He played aggressive. He played aggressive with both shots, forehand and backhand. He went to the net a few times, serve and volley.

He's a very complete player. He has a lot of chances to do it during the match, and that's very important because you have different options when the match is complicated.

Referring to his right knee injury,

I felt similar thing to what I had last year - I go to the limit, but not cross the limit, no?

Murray, holding serve easily and getting into the American’s service but failing to break, was the continued pattern of the 2nd set. The break did come when Murray, returning at 4-3, broke to love. Murray changed tactics again, serving for the 2nd set, and found himself at 15-40. Determined, he saved the break points, came through and was 2 sets up.

Isner’s confidence appeared damaged after being broken twice in the 3rd set that included a stunning backhand passing shot down the line from the shadows at the back of the court.

The match ended appropriately with a short forehand slice to Isner’s backhand for a winner.

Murray was asked to reveal something personal in his on court post match interview with Jim Courier. He struggled to come up with an answer, claiming, “This here just proves how boring I am”. Maybe playing the Doodle Jump app on his iPhone for 6 hours a day proves that.

A video of Doodle Jump, the iPhone game that Murray allegedly played for several hours before his match with Isner.

Doodle Jump for the iPhone

Unfortunately, lapses in concentration are rapidly becoming a Murray trademark, and Serra hit straight back, capitalising on some sloppy play and a double fault on break point. The Frenchman then held easily to level the score at 5-5. Worryingly, Murray was now showing signs of physical discomfort, grimacing and clutching his back.

Whatever was wrong with the Scot, it was not enough to prevent him holding serve and forcing Serra to again serve to stay in the set. There was no lack of focus from Murray this time, forcing the pace and taking a third and decisive break.

After fighting so hard in the first set, it was perhaps inevitable that Serra would feel deflated. Murray began to find his A game, and raced through the second set in 28 minutes.

The third set threatened to be a whitewash as Murray surged into a double break *3-0 lead, but another mental lapse opened the door and allowed Serra to retrieve one of these. Murray's first serve, firing only sporadically up to now, suddenly roared into life and Serra was left helpless as Murray closed out what was a comfortable, if hard fought, victory.

Next up in round 4 is John Isner, the big serving American who has this year blasted down 78 aces in 6 matches.

As dark began to fall on the picturesque surroundings of Melbourne, Gicquel had located his competitive juices and began playing with more freedom and aggression. When both players traded breaks, the 32 year old began to hit winners down both lines and had found an effective game plan after all. At 4-3 on serve with Murray on the ropes, the coiled spring of tension began to expand as Murray hit a debateable winner which looked long. Gicquel’s protestations were in vain and Murray went on to win the game like so often is the case.

As the fifth seed attempted to close out the match, an epic rally took place at match point. Gicquel hit a volley at the net and began pulling his opponent across all angles of the court. After Murray succumbed at the first time of asking, at a second match point, Gicquel’s concentration buckled and he thrashed a forehand wide. The match was deservedly won by Murray.

The usual exhibition show of elegant volleys and drop shots by Murray took place today and it was a relatively stress free night of tennis with modest temperatures. Murray will be glad he at least pushed slightly in the final set to test his competitive spirits. Another Frenchman in Florent Serra is Murray’s next opponent on Friday.