US Open Day 10 - Djokovic Outlasts Murray In New York

There was no fairy tale ending or dream comeback for Andy Murray at this year’s US Open, that’s just the way men’s tennis is at this moment in time.

In a pulsating quarter-final he came up against a world number one who doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit or the definition of free point, as is always the case at any of the four Grand Slams Novak Djokovic will take some stopping.



Djokovic reaches another Grand Slam semi-final

The task to stay with the relentless Serb over five sets is something few have accomplished; Murray may have managed it here in 2012, on this occasion the Brit’s body appeared well and truly spent mid-way through the third set.

That was largely down to sheer brutality of the first two sets which alone stretched beyond the two hour mark. At time their defences appeared bullet proof, at times the intense rallies seemed like they would never stop, of course factors like that will inevitably take their toll and unfortunately for Murray his body seemed to resist first as Djokovic triumphed 7-6(1) 6-7(1) 6-2 6-4.

It was a match which had more twists and turns than a formula one race circuit, breaks of serve were a regular occurrence and both showed why they are currently labelled as two of the best returners in the men’s game.

From the first point Murray made his aggressive intentions clear, off a Djokovic second serve the Brit cracked one of his trademark backhand returns firmly into open court, a few points later he had claimed the first break of the match.

However his lead didn’t last long as Djokovic came storming back, an immediate response from the Serb saw him race into a 4-1 lead while saving further break points on his own serve along the way.

But one of the features of this match was the way that Murray quickly reeled his opponent back in after falling behind. From the baseline his groundstrokes, especially his forehand, were blistering; they had to be to puncture Djokovic’s impeccable defence. With the match beginning to boil the Brit levelled at 4-4, a deciding tie break was a fitting way to finish a breath taking set.

Yet when the pressure was really on, Murray suddenly lost his touch, a double fault when trailing 1-0 in the breaker made his job a whole lot tougher and Djokovic made him pay storming clear and taking it 7-1.

The second set followed a similar pattern Djokovic broke early, Murray responded, the Serb broke again, Murray was equal to it once more. Another tie break followed and this time it was Djokovic who faulted as Murray dominated with the same 7-1 score line.   

Then yet again the pendulum swung as Murray’s movement gradually deteriorated, Djokovic survived the early Murray resistance at the start of the third before claiming the decisive break when leading 5-4 in the fourth, in the end the Serb remained the last man standing and will now face Kei Nishikori in the last four.