Andy Murray beat Juan Martin Del Potro at the US Open late last night to reach his first ever Grand Slam semi-final and in so doing guaranteed himself fourth place in the ATP rankings.
Having clashed in a notoriously bad tempered match in Rome earlier in the year, where it is reported Del Potro verbally abused Murray’s mother, tournament sponsors had publicised the re-match as ‘the Grapple in the Apple.’ It didn’t disappoint; both players lived up to fiery expectations producing a string of breathtaking points, surging baseline rallies and repeated breaks of serve.
In the end the 21-year old Scot proved too good for the Argentine; having taken the first two sets on tie breaks, he lost the third 4-6, before regaining his focus and outclassing his opponent in the decisive fourth set, 7-5. Murray now faces Rafael Nadal who recovered from a shocking first set to defeat Mardy Fish 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
Substance over Image
There is no doubting that Murray divides opinion amongst British tennis fans; while some admire his gritty determination and passionate outbursts, his detractors mourn the loss of Tim Henman’s clean-cut, boy-next-door niceness. One thing is certain, fashion and personal grooming will never occupy anything more than a passing thought for the Scot; he stepped onto the court last night with a week’s worth of scruffy stubble and a baggy grey t-shirt that looked like it might not have been washed since the start of the tournament.
His appearance represents the antithesis of Roger Federer’s sartorial elegance and Nadal’s cutting edge street style and leaves tennis fans with nothing to focus on but his ability on the court. Thankfully for Murray, in recent months he’s started to fulfil the promise he showed as a youngster when he shot to fame by winning 2004 Junior US Open.
Improved Fitness
Arguably the biggest reason for Murray’s success this season has been the intensive work done on improving his match fitness under the guidance of coaches Jez Green, Matt Little and Miles Maclagan. Too often in his fledgling career his inability to stay the course in five set matches caused his downfall; now he seems energised and spurred on by the challenge of epic encounters. Moreover, niggling injuries which hampered his shoulder and ankle throughout 2007 also appear to have healed and allowed him to spend more time building vital muscle-mass in the gym. It is not for nothing that Murray has taken to showing off his bulging biceps after important victories.
Back with a Bang
Wimbledon certainly proved a turning point in his season and in particular the epic five set thriller against Richard Gasquet which saw him recover from a two set deficit. Although he was comprehensively beaten in the ensuing quarter-final by eventual champion Nadal the tournament marked a huge step forward in his development and saw him re-enter the Top 10.
Following the conclusion of the grass court season, Murray hit his favoured hard courts with plenty of confidence. In Toronto he reached the semi-finals, defeating World No.3 Novak Djokovic for the first time in his career, before defeating the big-hitting Serb again in the final of the Cincinnati Masters, to win his first Masters Series shield.
The good run of form even saw Murray hyped as one of the favourites for the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. As it turned out the end the intense heat, busy time-table (which included partnering his brother Jamie in the doubles tournament) and apparent lack of interest led to a disappointing first round defeat.
Date With Destiny
Retrospectively, the early exit and subsequent rest may have done him some good. Since he reached the US Open he has lifted his game to new heights recording terrific wins against Michael Llodra, Jurgen Melzer and old pal Stanislas Wawrinka. With the dangerous Del Potro also despatched in an electric encounter he is now displaying the maturity needed to succeed at the highest level.
Flushing Meadows has served as the background for several highlights in recent British tennis history with Tim Henman reaching the semi-finals in 2004 and Greg Rusedski having made the final in 1997. With two days rest before he takes on Nadal, Murray will be hoping that he can better his predecessors and write himself into the record books.